Belgium will enter the tournament in 2026 during a transitional phase. The golden generation led by De Bruyne, Hazard, and others is nearing the end of their playing careers. Under new coach Rudi Garcia, the team is building on a second strong generation. Belgium remains the favorite in Group G.

Coach Rudi Garcia named three goalkeepers for the Red Devils: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, and Mike Penders—three goalkeepers who, taken together, represent nearly every generation, from the seasoned icon to the 20-year-old rookie.

Courtois remains the world's best goalkeeper—or at least one of the top two or three. His trophy haul with Real Madrid speaks for itself: three La Liga titles, two Champions League triumphs, and numerous other trophies. Even after his serious knee injury in the 2023–24 season, he returned to top form. In March 2026, he suffered a thigh injury during a Champions League match against Manchester City and missed several weeks. However, he was back in the squad in time for the World Cup roster and back in action for El Clásico.

What sets Courtois apart goes beyond mere reflexes: his command of the penalty area, his ability to cover seemingly impossible angles, and the calmness he instills in the entire defense. Belgium isn’t a favorite to win the title—but with Courtois in goal, more is always possible than the roster suggests on paper.

Lammens joined Manchester United from Royal Antwerp in September 2025 for around 21 million euros, solving the Red Devils’ goalkeeping crisis. What followed was one of the most impressive goalkeeping debuts in recent Premier League history: In his first season with Manchester United, he started 30 league games. Rio Ferdinand publicly praised him as United’s most important signing of the season. At 23 years old, standing 193 cm tall, and with a contract through 2030, he is already considered the goalkeeper for the next decade. For Belgium, he is the clear number two—and thus potentially just one World Cup away from becoming the number one.

At 20 years old and standing 6 feet 7 inches tall, Penders is Belgium’s most promising goalkeeper. The Chelsea goalkeeper is currently on loan at Racing Strasbourg, where he started all 32 Ligue 1 matches this season and made a total of 102 saves. His nomination came as a surprise—yet it made perfect sense. For Penders, this World Cup isn’t a guarantee of playing time, but rather the best possible learning environment alongside two of Europe’s top goalkeepers.