Domenico Tedesco names Belgium squad for upcoming UEFA Nations League games; Romelu Lukaku left out

The Red Devils will face France and Israel in September.

Belgium’s team for their UEFA Nations League matches against France and Israel next month does not include Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku has scored 85 goals in 119 senior games, with 10 of those goals coming at major competitions, making him the Red Devils’ all-time top scorer.

He did not, however, score in the 2022 FIFA World Cup or the 2024 Euro, where Domenico Tedesco’s team lost to France in the final 16 of the championship.

Lukaku attempted 11 attempts totalling 1.7 anticipated goals (xG), the greatest expected goals of any player who failed to score during the Euro 2024.

Lukaku joined Napoli on a permanent basis earlier this week, reuniting with his former Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte. However, he will not play when Belgium kick off their League A Group 2 campaign on September 6.

In his place, Julien Duranville, a young player from Borussia Dortmund, who has received his first senior call-up, Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta and Lois Openda of RB Leipzig are the likely favourites to lead the line.

Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois remains absent from the Belgium squad due to his ongoing conflict with Tedesco.

The Real Madrid custodian had stormed out of a training camp in 2023 over a disagreement over the team’s captaincy. He declared on social media earlier this month that he would not play for Belgium as long as Tedesco is in charge.

Belgium squad ahead of UEFA Nations League games

Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al Qadsiah), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest)

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Koni De Winter (Genoa), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Julien Duranville (Borussia Dortmund), Arne Engels (FC Augsburg), Orel Mangala (Olympique Lyonnais), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Arthur Vermeeren (RB Leipzig)

Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig).

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