Red Devils Beat Croatia in World Cup Warm-Up, Lukaku Returns with Goal
The Belgian Red Devils secured a convincing 0-2 victory over Croatia in a friendly match on Tuesday, providing a significant confidence boost just days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The win at Stadion Rujevica in Rijeka was defined by two compelling narratives: an experimental tactical system from head coach Rudi Garcia and the emotional return of Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer Romelu Lukaku, who scored a stoppage-time goal after a lengthy injury layoff.
According to Sporza, the match served as a crucial preparation fixture ahead of the tournament, which kicks off on 11 June across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Garcia’s Tactical Experiment Pays Off
Rudi Garcia surprised observers by deploying an experimental 3-5-2 formation, a first for Belgium under his tenure. The system featured three center-backs — Nathan Ngoy, Amadou Onana, and Arthur Theate — with wing-backs providing width. Speaking before the match, Garcia explained that the formation “gives us more variation in our play. We have many players who can work with this system,” as reported by VI.nl.
The experiment paid off handsomely. Belgium kept a clean sheet against a quality Croatian side, with Thibaut Courtois making a crucial save on a Luka Modric free kick just before halftime. The Royal Belgian Football Association confirmed that Garcia’s defensive setup “stood firm throughout and gave away very few opportunities.”
Tielemans Opens the Scoring
Youri Tielemans, wearing the captain’s armband, opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Jeremy Doku beat his marker on the left flank and delivered a dangerous ball into the box. After a scramble, the ball fell kindly for Tielemans, who calmly placed his effort into the far corner.
European media took note of Tielemans’ performance. Spanish outlet Marca highlighted that “if anyone stood out for the Devils, it was captain Youri Tielemans,” noting Garcia’s confidence in giving him the armband despite the presence of established leaders like Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne.
The Big Romback
The defining moment arrived deep into stoppage time. Lukaku, who had entered the match in the 73rd minute as a substitute for Charles De Ketelaere, received a perfectly weighted through ball from Hans Vanaken and rifled it into the top corner for a 0-2 lead.
The goal carried immense symbolic weight. Lukaku had not played for Belgium since June 2025 and had been sidelined since March with a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Napoli. His last club goal came on 6 March 2026.
Kevin De Bruyne praised his teammate’s return, telling VTM: “The most important thing now is that he gets minutes. When he plays, he will always have his qualities. Put him once in front of goal and he can score.” Tielemans added: “The goal was ideal for him and for the team. We know how important he is. We will need him very much,” as quoted by VI.nl.
Garcia struck a note of caution, saying: “He is more ready than everyone thought, but he must not have a setback now.”
World Cup Implications
Belgium heads into the World Cup in Group G alongside Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand. Their campaign opens on 15 June against Egypt in Seattle, followed by matches against Iran in Los Angeles and New Zealand in Vancouver, as confirmed by the RBFA.
The victory over Croatia provides multiple positives: momentum from beating a quality opponent, tactical flexibility with the 3-5-2 option, Lukaku’s return as a proven goalscoring threat, defensive solidity demonstrated by a clean sheet, and squad depth showcased through young players’ debuts, including Matias Fernandez-Pardo.
Belgium will play one more friendly against Tunisia on 6 June before departing for the United States. With their golden generation entering what may be their final World Cup cycle, the signs from Rijeka are encouraging. As Garcia noted, the tactical experiment “paid off” — and with their star striker back among the goals, the Red Devils have reason to believe.