Belgium vs Senegal: Top five players to watch out for in FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash ft. Leandro Trossard & Ismaila Sarr

Belgium finished in Group G as table toppers with five points.

Belgium is a nation that consistently enters major FIFA tournaments with a so-called golden generation squad packed with talent. They will take on Senegal, who finished third in Group I and secured qualification as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

The Round of 32 encounter is scheduled to take place on July 1, 2026, at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, United States. The winners will advance to the Round of 16, where they will face either the USA or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Meanwhile, the losing side will see their World Cup campaign come to an end.

Belgium began their group-stage campaign with back-to-back draws against Egypt and Iran. With qualification hanging in the balance heading into the final group fixture, the Red Devils delivered a five-star display. They defeated New Zealand 5-1 to finish top of the group on goal difference, narrowly edging Egypt.

Senegal, on the other hand, found themselves in a difficult position after losing their opening two matches and entering the final matchday without a point. Not only did they need a victory, but they also required a convincing scoreline. They responded emphatically with a 5-0 win over Iraq.

It significantly improved their goal difference. They eventually sealed a place in the knockout stages.

No clear favourites are heading into this contest, with both teams possessing enough quality to book their place in the next round. Here are five players who could have a decisive influence on the outcome of the match.

Top five players to watch out for in Belgium vs Senegal

S.No.	Player Name	Country
1	Leandro Trossard	Belgium
2	Ismaila Sarr	Senegal
3	Kevin De Bruyne	Belgium
4	Iliman Ndiaye	Senegal
5	Youri Tielemans	Belgium

5. Youri Tielemans

Belgium’s Youri Tielemans will undoubtedly be one of the key figures in this contest. Operating from midfield, Tielemans is at the heart of the build-up play, dictating the tempo and initiating most of their attacking moves.

The Aston Villa midfielder is expected to face a stern test against Senegal’s physically dominant midfield. Tielemans possesses an outstanding passing range. He is capable of creating chances from deeper areas of the pitch.

He remains composed under pressure and retains possession effectively despite intense pressing. He also carries a threat from long range, making him capable of producing a match-winning moment.

4. Iliman Ndiaye

Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye has been one of Senegal‘s standout performers this FIFA World Cup despite primarily being used as an impact substitute. In just over 40 minutes of action during the tournament, Ndiaye has registered a goal and two assists. It underlines the attacking threat he provides in the final third.

Ndiaye is a direct attacker blessed with flair, pace, and excellent dribbling ability. Comfortable operating anywhere across the frontline, he can deliver dangerous crosses from wide areas while also possessing the finishing ability to score goals himself.

3. Kevin De Bruyne

Although he may no longer be the same Kevin De Bruyne who dominated midfields during his peak years at Manchester City, the Belgian playmaker remains one of the finest attacking midfielders in world football. He reminded everyone of his quality by getting on the scoresheet against New Zealand with a trademark long-range strike.

De Bruyne continues to be praised for his world-class vision and ability to create chances with remarkable ease. Whether playing short passes, long diagonals, or delivering crosses into the penalty area, his distribution remains among the best in the game.

The Napoli playmaker often drops deeper to get involved in possession before producing moments of brilliance that can change the course of a match. His ability to threaten from outside the box with low shots adds another dimension to his game.

2. Ismaila Sarr

Senegal’s most in-form attacker, Ismaila Sarr, has enjoyed an outstanding World Cup campaign so far. He scored a brace against Norway in the second group-stage match before adding another goal and an assist in the decisive victory over Iraq.

Although Sarr usually operates as a winger at club level, he started the previous game as a striker. He could once again lead the line against Belgium.

Blessed with electric pace, Sarr is a dynamic attacker who constantly looks to exploit spaces behind opposition defences with intelligent runs. He is an effective dribbler who likes to take defenders on directly. He combines his pace with impressive physical strength, setting up what promises to be an intriguing battle against Belgium’s backline.

1. Leandro Trossard

While much of the spotlight has been on Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku, and Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard has arguably been Belgium’s most dangerous attacking player in the tournament. The Arsenal forward was outstanding in their must-win clash against New Zealand.

He scored twice in the first half and came close to completing a hat-trick. He also provided the assist for De Bruyne’s stunning long-range goal.

Trossard is an extremely versatile forward with exceptional spatial awareness, consistently finding dangerous pockets of space in the final third. He is capable of finishing from difficult angles and possesses strong dribbling ability. He has repeatedly shown his knack for making a decisive impact whenever Belgium need him most.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.