Red Devils Rampage: Belgium crushes Tunisia 5-0 in final World Cup test

Jérémy Doku provided two outstanding assists as Trossard, De Ketelaere, De Bruyne, Lukebakio, and Raskin scored to dismantle the ten-man African side in Brussels.

Photo: AFP

The final countdown for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has exposed the deep gulf in class between elite European heavyweights and qualifying sensations. At a packed King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Saturday evening, the Belgium national team solidified their status as genuine tournament contenders by dismantling Tunisia in a comprehensive 5-0 victory. The international friendly, serving as the final preparatory match day before both rosters cross the Atlantic, evolved into an absolute monologue for the Red Devils, orchestrated by the electrifying pace of Jérémy Doku and the veteran hierarchy of their midfield core.

Rudi Garcia’s squad entered the fixture looking to sustain tactical momentum following a convincing 2-0 victory against Croatia earlier in the week. With legendary figure Eden Hazard observing from the VIP stands, Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku thoroughly unpicked the defensive low block of the Carthage Eagles from the opening whistle. In the 28th minute, a signature explosive burst from Doku down the left flank culminated in a precise low cross to Leandro Trossard, who finished clinical past the Tunisian goalkeeper to break the deadlock.

Tunisia, who had cruised through African qualification by securing 28 out of a possible 30 points, struggled to manage Belgium's interior speed. Early in the second half, the structural breakdown worsened. In the 53rd minute, Youri Tielemans dropped a pinpoint delivery into the box, allowing Charles De Ketelaere—operating as the focal point of the Belgian attack—to execute a powerful downward header to double the hosts' advantage.

The African side's structural integrity disintegrated completely in the 62nd minute. Unable to cope with Doku's technical agility, Tunisian midfielder Ismaël Gharbi committed a reckless tactical foul, earning his marching orders via a second yellow card. The numerical disadvantage completely dissolved Tunisia’s defensive shape, allowing Kevin De Bruyne to dictate the tempo of the final half-hour with absolute freedom.

In the 65th minute, De Bruyne combined with Doku once again, clinical converting a low cross into the bottom far corner to make it 3-0. With the result firmly locked down, Garcia rotated his structural assets to manage physical workloads. Heavyweight forward Romelu Lukaku entered the pitch in the 66th minute, registering 25 high-intensity minutes as he continues his recovery timeline following limited domestic deployment with Napoli.

The five-goal statement was completed against a completely exhausted Tunisian backline. Substitute forward Dodi Lukebakio tap home the fourth goal in the 85th minute following an unselfish square pass from Lukaku. Two minutes later, in the 87th, teenage midfielder Nicolas Raskin sealed the definitive 5-0 scoreline by driving a loose ball into the roof of the net.

While Belgium departs for the United States with maximum confidence to anchor Group G alongside Egypt, Irán, and New Zealand, Tunisia heads to Mexico under intense local criticism. The African nation will establish its training base at the El Barrial sports complex in Santiago, Nuevo León, ahead of a daunting Group F campaign. They are scheduled to play two of their group fixtures at the Monterrey Stadium against Japan and Sweden, including the historic 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup chronicles.