The Belgium coach, Roberto Martínez, announced today the list of 26 players who will play the World Cup in Qatar, which includes the Inter Milan striker and the Red Devils’ all-time top scorer, Romelu Lukaku, despite being injured.
“You are receiving treatment. Until November 22, 24 hours before our first game, He has the opportunity to get in top shape”, Martínez declared at a press conference.
The Spanish coach added that it is difficult for Lukaku to play the group stage against Canada, Morocco and Croatia on November 23 and 27 and December 1.respectively, but that he does believe that he can play in that “second World Cup” that starts with the direct qualifiers.
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“He is a very important player for the Red Devils”, said the coachwho also summoned the Real Madrid attacker Eden Hazard, despite the fact that he hardly enjoys playing minutes, the goalkeeper of the same club Thibaut Courtois, the Atlético de Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco and the mattress midfielder Axel Witsel or the Manchester midfielder City Kevin deBruyne.
Lukaku, who at 29 is the player who has scored the most goals for Belgium (68 goals in 102 games), has had physical problems since the start of the season.
The center forward returned to competition on October 25 against Viktoria Plzen and scored a crucial goal, but in the game on the 29th of that month against Sampdoria he suffered from the hamstring in his left thigh and headed to Antwerp (Belgium) to be treated.
Martínez had said that he would not call his reference striker for Qatar 2022 if his recovery plan did not provide for him to be available to play at least one of the three group stage matches against Canada, Morocco and Croatia.
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However, when announcing the list, he was more cautious about that possibility and pointed out that it will be necessary to see how the footballer evolves.
EDEN HAZARD
Although there was no doubt about his inclusion in the squad list, Hazard’s performance raises questions, as he barely counts for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.
“For Eden it is a unique opportunity to have fun with his football and show what he can do,” Martinez said when asked about his captain.
The coach explained that when choosing a player he measures three elements: commitment, quality, “which never goes away”, and experience, and assured that he sees Hazard “more committed than ever”, with a talent that He is well known and has great experience.
“What we have to achieve is for him to be in top form” and “show the world the player we have in Belgium,” said the coach who lifted the Red Devils to third place in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
– Complete list:
Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Wolsburg, ALE), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, ESP), Simon Mignolet (Bruges).
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Antwerp), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Leander Dendoncker (Aston Villa, ING), Wout Faes (Leicester City, ING), Arthur Theate (Rennes, FRA), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht),
Midfielders: Yannick Carrasco (Atlético de Madrid, ESP), Timothy Castagne (Leicester City, ING), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City, ING), Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund, ALE), Amadou Onana (Everton, ING), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia de Dortmund, ALE), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City, ING), Hans Vanaken (Bruges), Axel Witsel (Atlético de Madrid, ESP).
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbache, TUR), Charles De Ketelaere (AC Milan, ITA), Jérémy Doku (Rennes, FRA), Eden Hazard (Real Madrid, ESP), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan, ITA), Dries Mertens ( Galatasaray, TUR), Loïs Openda (Lens, FRA), Leandro Trossard (Brighton, ING).
