De Bruyne at Napoli · Lukaku & Courtois Back · Azmoun Absent · SoFi Stadium
Belgium's golden generation is in its final act — this is almost certainly the last World Cup for De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois, and the core of the squad that peaked in 2018. Rudi Garcia — former AS Roma and Napoli coach — has taken the job and is trying to extract one last tournament run from a group of players who have been carrying Belgium's hopes for a decade without ever winning the thing that matters.
Kevin De Bruyne moved to Napoli this season — a brilliant final chapter for a player of his quality in a city that knows how to love a midfielder. He is still, at 34, one of the finest playmakers in world football. Romelu Lukaku leads the attack. Thibaut Courtois is fit and back after his long knee-injury absence. Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) and Jeremy Doku (Man City) provide the wide threat. Belgium are deeply experienced and deeply motivated. This generation does not want to leave without something.
Iran qualified for their fourth consecutive World Cup and arrive with a squad that has European-based talent and a tactical structure built around defensive organisation and counter-attacks. Under Afshin Ghotbi — who has managed across Asia and knows international football intimately — Iran are disciplined and dangerous on the break.
Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos) leads the attack — the striker who produced that extraordinary overhead kick against Chelsea in the Champions League. Ali Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord) is captain and the most creative threat from wide areas. The notable absence is Sardar Azmoun (Spartak Moscow-era, now elsewhere) — reportedly left out due to ongoing federation tensions. Iran without Azmoun lose a striker who has scored consistently in European football for years. Against Belgium's quality, that absence could prove costly.