Belgium coach Garcia unveils World Cup qualifiers squad
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia announced his squad for the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign on Tuesday. New to the selection is Strasbourg left-back Diego Moreira, who came through the youth ranks in Portugal.
Garcia's squad includes stalwarts such as Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. The Red Devils will begin their campaign on 6 June with an away match against North Macedonia, followed by their second qualifier against Wales on 9 June.
Born in Liège, newcomer Moreira was once a Belgian youth international, but he has consistently played for the Portuguese youth teams in recent years. Having never been called up for the senior team, however, the 20-year-old was able to switch international allegiance to Belgium.
“I see him as a versatile player"
"Diego is a player with dual nationality, but he has now chosen Belgium," Garcia said on Tuesday. Moreira is listed as a defender in the 26-man squad. “I see him as a versatile player who currently plays left-back for Strasbourg, but who can also play up front. He has had a very good season at Strasbourg," said Garcia.
Lavia not called up
Somewhat surprisingly, Roméo Lavia was not called up. He came on as a substitute in the final minutes of a 3-2 friendly win in Germany at the end of March 2023, after which injury kept him out. More recently, he played four games in a row for Chelsea.
"We do not select on potential, but on performance"
According to Garcia, he has not yet reached the same level as before his injury in recent matches. "We do not select on potential, but on performance. Moreover, there is a lot of competition for his position," said Garcia.
Red Devils coach Rudi Garcia at a press conference announcing the squad for the World Cup qualifiers © BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY
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