Belgium Defeats Croatia 2-0 in World Cup 2026 Preparatory Friendly

Belgium claimed a 2-0 victory over Croatia in their opening friendly match ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The game, played on Tuesday in Croatia, marked the first of two preparatory fixtures for the Belgian national team as they finalize their readiness for the tournament.

The match featured several notable players, including Belgium’s Sporting defender Zeno Debast, who was called up to the World Cup squad but did not feature in the game due to injury recovery. Belgium is preparing to compete in Group G of the World Cup alongside Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand, while Croatia is set to face England, Ghana, and Panama in Group L.

This victory provides Belgium with a positive start to their pre-tournament campaign, allowing the team to build confidence and cohesion under competitive conditions. For the coaching staff, the match served as an opportunity to assess player fitness and tactical approaches ahead of the tournament. The absence of Debast due to injury is a factor the team will monitor closely as they approach the World Cup kickoff.

The first half of the match was relatively subdued, with limited clear scoring chances. The breakthrough came in the 36th minute when Jeremy Doku made a decisive run down the left flank and delivered a low cross. A Croatian defender, Josip Šutalo, attempted to intercept but inadvertently deflected the ball to Belgium’s Leander Dendoncker, who then passed it to Youri Tielemans. Tielemans capitalized on the opportunity to score the opening goal. Croatia responded shortly after with a strong shot from veteran Luka Modrić, which was expertly saved by Belgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

In the second half, Croatia had several chances to equalize, including a header from striker Ante Budimir that struck the post. Belgium also came close to extending their lead when Hans Vanaken headed a cross from Tielemans just wide of the goal. In the closing moments, Belgium took advantage of a counterattack, with Romelu Lukaku scoring in stoppage time (90+6 minutes) to seal the 2-0 win.

Looking ahead, Belgium will face Tunisia in their second and final friendly before the World Cup begins. Meanwhile, Croatia is scheduled to play another friendly against Slovenia as they continue their preparations. Both teams aim to use these matches to finalize their squads and tactics ahead of the tournament, where they will compete for advancement from their respective groups.