De Bruyne and Lukaku named in Belgium World Cup squad despite barely playing together at Napoli
Quick summary
Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku have both been selected in Belgium's World Cup squad. Their expected Napoli partnership never developed, as injuries limited them to just six minutes on the pitch together for the club.
What happened
Belgium have included Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku in their World Cup squad for a fourth straight tournament. The pair share a long international history, having played together 82 times for Belgium and combined for 18 goals. However, their first season together at Napoli was heavily disrupted by injuries, restricting them to a single brief cameo together against Torino. Lukaku has played only 64 minutes this season, while De Bruyne arrives after another muscle operation, leaving questions over sharpness despite their pedigree.
Chance analysis
This matters because Belgium retain two elite, proven attackers, but both arrive with major fitness and match-rhythm concerns. Squad inclusion is positive for Belgium's ceiling, yet expectations should be tempered because name value may exceed current physical readiness and recent club-level continuity.
Belgium gain experience and star power, but the practical impact is capped by fitness uncertainty around both players.
Treat Belgium's attacking upside as real, but downgrade assumptions about immediate chemistry, minutes security, and physical sharpness.