Belgium coach Rudi Garcia has warned his players that Senegal will pose a serious threat when the two sides meet in the World Cup round of 32 on Wednesday in Seattle.
Belgium topped Group G, but their campaign has not been entirely convincing. Their only win came in a 5-1 victory over New Zealand, while draws against Egypt and Iran brought criticism over the team’s slow and cautious style of play.
Garcia, however, believes the knockout stage now brings a different challenge.
“We wanted to finish first in the group, and that is what we did,” he said. “I wish we had won more games, but we are not going to go back. What matters now is that we finished first and can play in Seattle.”
The Belgian coach described Senegal as the strongest of the third-placed teams, despite the African champions qualifying after losing two of their three group matches.
Senegal were beaten by France and Norway before sealing their place in the knockout stage with a 5-0 win over Iraq. Garcia said their difficult group explains why they finished third.
“We know we are playing the best third team,” he added. “Senegal had a very tough group, and that is probably why they finished third.
“If you want to go far, you have to beat good or excellent teams. Senegal are very fast and very strong. We will have to be at our best to beat them.”
Garcia’s warning comes after a series of major surprises at the tournament. Germany were knocked out by Paraguay on penalties, while the Netherlands suffered the same fate against Morocco. Those results have underlined that traditional favourites can no longer take anything for granted.
Since taking charge of Belgium in January 2025, Garcia has built an impressive record. After losing his first match against Ukraine, he has gone 16 games unbeaten, with 10 wins during that run.
Still, Belgium’s performances at this World Cup have not fully convinced. Garcia now has a fit squad and says every player must be ready to contribute.
“I have lots of options, and I will use them,” he said. “The players who start will have to play well, but the group has been important for us. Romelu came off the bench against Egypt and did well, and the same happened against New Zealand. These players make the squad stronger.”
Belgium will start as favourites, but Garcia insists that status means little in knockout football.
“Yesterday showed us that being favourites does not matter,” he said. “We need to stay alert if we want to win.”
