Belgium and Senegal meet in the Round of 32 on 1 July at Lumen Field in Seattle, a straight knockout tie where the loser goes home. Belgium come in as Group G winners after a measured group stage that mixed two draws with a 5-1 demolition of New Zealand, while Senegal scraped through as one of the better third placed sides despite consecutive losses to France and Norway. Belgium sit around ninth in the world rankings and have De Bruyne, Trossard and Doku in the same XI, though Senegal's AFCON title earlier this year is not nothing.
Rudi Garcia took charge of Belgium in January 2025, bringing club management experience from Napoli and other major European sides, whereas Pape Thiaw only stepped into the Senegal role in December 2024 but immediately delivered an AFCON title, the first managerial trophy of his career and one that gives the squad real belief coming in and the two have never met as managers.
Belgium's group stage went roughly: held to a 1-1 draw by Egypt, a goalless stalemate with Iran, then putting five past New Zealand. Trossard scored twice in that final game with De Bruyne, Lukaku and Saelemaekers also on the scoresheet and a 5-0 friendly win over Tunisia in June suggested the attacking fluency had been there all along. Senegal's route was bumpier, losing to France 1-3 and then Norway 2-3 before dismantling Iraq 5-0 to squeeze through, so the two sides arrive going in opposite directions over their last three games.
Belgium are largely intact, with Zeno Debast working back from a leg injury and likely available off the bench but the first choice lineup looking settled: Courtois behind a back four of Castagne, Theate, Mechele and De Cuyper, with De Bruyne operating in the half spaces ahead of Vanaken or Tielemans and Doku and Trossard wide. Senegal have the more pressing concern up front, where Sadio Mane's fitness continues to be monitored, while Edouard Mendy is doubtful with a knee sprain and likely to be replaced in goal by Mory Diaw. Koulibaly and Niakhate are expected to form the central defensive partnership, with Idrissa Gueye, Lamine Camara and Pape Matar Sarr competing for midfield spots.
The central midfield duel is the most interesting part of the matchup. Gueye and Camara are physical enough to make De Bruyne's life uncomfortable but De Bruyne operating between Senegal's midfield and their defensive line is where the real danger comes from: if they cannot track his movement, the passes into Lukaku and the wide players will arrive. That threat opens up space for Doku and Trossard to get in behind the Senegalese full backs whenever Belgium can isolate one on ones wide. Lukaku against Koulibaly will shape much of the physical contest and Courtois will need to stay alert to set piece deliveries given Koulibaly's aerial presence. Senegal's 5-0 against Iraq showed they can move the ball quickly once they win it back in midfield and Sarr's pace and Mane's movement off the shoulder are what make a quick transition dangerous.
This is the first World Cup meeting between the two sides and, with very little senior competitive history to draw on, the head to head offers almost nothing useful. Set pieces could matter, though: Belgium have the delivery from De Bruyne and Trossard, while Koulibaly is Senegal's main aerial target at the other end and if Mane does start, his presence alone changes Senegal's attacking shape significantly.
Belgium win 2-1. De Bruyne creates the openings, Lukaku or Trossard convert at least one of them and Sarr's pace on the break, or Mane if he starts, earns Senegal a late reply that makes the last ten minutes uncomfortable.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
