Mark van Bommel has brought Belgium's two biggest names, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, back into his latest national squad. A face-to-face meeting at Napoli, De Bruyne's club in Italy, followed by constant contact over the phone, finally convinced the head coach that both veterans are fully ready. Yet the captaincy stays exactly where it was. Despite De Bruyne's return, Youri Tielemans keeps the armband.
Belgium's new manager begins his tactical rebuild with a 4-3-3, though he is already preparing supporters for the reality that Lukaku will not see out all four fixtures scheduled for the coming international break, with the staff managing his physical load carefully. Alongside the established stars, the young forward Mathias Fernandez-Pardo has forced his way into the squad. The goalkeeping department also catches the eye — the coaching staff called up four goalkeepers, handing Maarten Vandevoordt his chance alongside Senne Lammens and Mike Penders.
