Lukaku's Cameo Rescues Belgium Against Egypt as De Bruyne and Salah Fade

Romelu Lukaku's demons from Qatar could have haunted him forever. The 2022 World Cup left him broken—so much so that he wept daily for weeks, even during his holidays, with Thierry Henry ringing him three times a day to offer support. Four years on, his return to the Belgium squad seemed unlikely, particularly given manager Rudi Garcia's candid assessment: a player carrying just 64 minutes of club football this season was, by the boss's own admission, "out of shape."

Napoli are desperate to offload the injury-plagued striker, yet Garcia saw fit to name him in the squad regardless. "I'm not sure he'll be able to start the matches, but he's our best striker," the manager said last month—a damning indictment of Belgium's current attacking resources.

The proof arrived within 60 seconds of Lukaku's introduction from the bench. His mere presence in the box, standing where a proper number nine actually belongs rather than drifting toward the touchline, proved sufficient to unsettle Egypt's rearguard. Mohamed Hany's brain momentarily short-circuited, and the ball ended up in the net via the defender's own boot. Through sheer force of will and positioning, Lukaku had rescued a nation many believed he had let down in the Middle East.

Belgium's performance painted a portrait of mediocrity. A once-vaunted Golden Generation has curdled into something altogether more bronze, their play hamstrung by the same structural failings and uninspired coaching that have plagued them for over a decade. Jeremy Doku offered flickers of promise—energy, incision, the occasional moment of genuine class—but even the Manchester City winger's endeavours couldn't salvage a fundamentally flawed display. He was fouled officially five times, and that tally didn't include the moment he was genuinely assaulted by Hany in a brutal first-half tackle.

De Bruyne struck the post from one of the free-kicks Doku earned, but that represented the summit of Belgium's attacking ambitions. The 34-year-old, once scathing about his country being "too old" four years ago, now found himself raging against his own fading light—and with precious few teammates operating on anything resembling his wavelength.

De Bruyne had spoken of it being "nice to compete again like old times" against Salah, yet both men were withdrawn with the scores level and considerable time remaining. It was a telling moment, one that underscored how their star power has dimmed on this particular stage. Salah at least departed having made a tangible mark, picking out Emam Ashour with a crisp pass before the Egyptian converted with a delightful first touch and clinical finish beyond Thibaut Courtois—a goal that hinted at a historic first World Cup victory for Egypt.

They couldn't hold on, though. Not even for a full minute after Belgium's permanent main character took his bow. In the end, it was Lukaku—the Chelsea reject-turned-Premier League icon—who outlasted both De Bruyne and Salah in the battle of the fallen giants.