🇧🇪 Belgium

Garcia typically deploys a 4-2-3-1, with Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans forming a double pivot — Onana providing athleticism and ball-winning, Tielemans adding composure in possession. De Bruyne operates in the ten role, dictating tempo. Doku stretches play from the left, while Lukaku holds the line and links play. Belgium press selectively rather than intensely, preferring to defend in a mid-block and exploit transitions.

Watch Jérémy Doku for the most direct, defender-terrifying running in the tournament — his dribbling numbers at Manchester City place him among Europe's elite ball-carriers. Kevin De Bruyne, now orchestrating from Napoli, remains the fulcrum: a passer who can split any defensive block with a single diagonal. Romelu Lukaku, also at Napoli, is Belgium's all-time top scorer and still a physical nightmare for centre-backs at close range.

De Bruyne's passing range and Doku's dribbling give Belgium the tools to unlock any low block. Thibaut Courtois, back fit at Real Madrid, is one of the world's best shot-stoppers and single-handedly capable of keeping Belgium in tight knockout matches.

The right side of defence is a persistent concern — Thomas Meunier offers less defensive solidity than his attacking ambition suggests. Belgium's squad is also ageing at its core, and if De Bruyne is crowded out by a physical midfield, the team's creative engine stalls with no obvious replacement of comparable quality.