Dugout Discussion
15 June 2026 40 comments
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Following Cape Verde’s superb draw with Spain, we now turn our attention to Seattle, where Belgium open their 2026 World Cup campaign with a match against Egypt.

Rudi Garcia’s men, who remained unbeaten in qualifying, have an opportunity to secure some early points in Group G, which also features Iran and New Zealand.

The game kicks off at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Charles De Ketelaere is named up front for Belgium, with Romelu Lukaku only fit enough for a place on the bench.

Garcia subsequently opts for the same XI that triumphed 5-0 over Tunisia in Belgium’s final warm-up friendly.

Nathan Ngoy, who costs only $3.7m, partners with fellow enabler Brandon Mechele at the back.

There is no place for Maxim De Cuyper, however, who is named among the substitutes.

Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are the only three Belgium players owned by more than 5% of Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026 squads, so beyond that, everyone qualifies for the Scouting Bonus.

Mohamed Salah is the most-owned Egyptian on show tonight, yet he’s still only in 4.4% of squads.

Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush starts up top.

LINE-UPS

Belgium XI: Courtois, Meunier, Ngoy, Mechele, Castagne, Onana, Tielemans, Doku, De Bruyne, Trossard, De Ketelaere

Subs: Lammens, Penders, De Winter, Theate, Seys, De Cuyper, Vanaken, Witsel, Raskin, Lukebakio, Fernandez-Pardo, Moreira, Lukaku, Saelemaekers

Egypt XI: Shobeir, Hany, Ibrahim, Fathy, El Fatouh, Lasheen, Attia, Salah, Ashour, Zico, Marmoush

Subs: M Alaa, El-Shenawy, Soliman, Abdelmonem, T Alaa, Abdelmaguid, Hafez, Rabia, Saber, Dunga, Hassan, Abdelkarim, Adel, Zizo, Trezeguet


40 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 hours, 41 mins ago

    Happy Birthday Mo Salah!

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      3 hours, 33 mins ago

      Last World Cup for

      Neuer
      VVD - Otamendi - Casemiro
      Salah - KdB - Modric - Neymar
      Messi - Kane - Ronaldo

      Some team that….how many goals/assists/titles between them…

      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        3 hours, 17 mins ago

        Wouldn’t surprise me to see Kane still playing at 40

      2. bso
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 hours, 14 mins ago

        So true mate. Hats off to them!

      3. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        2 hours, 57 mins ago

        Dzeko

      4. Better off with a pin and a…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 35 mins ago

        And Jordan Henderson, probably.

  2. NZREDS
    • 12 Years
    3 hours, 31 mins ago

    Wowza Spain failed to score against CV!

    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      2 hours, 53 mins ago

      Cape Verde had more possession than Arsenal in the CL final

      1. NZREDS
        • 12 Years
        2 hours, 47 mins ago

        Wowow

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 45 mins ago

      They used Linkedin to find their centre back in Dublin.

  3. _Greg
    • 16 Years
    3 hours, 23 mins ago

    Feel good for avoiding Spain players.

  4. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 57 mins ago

    Savage goal!

  5. JBG
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 56 mins ago

    What you get for starting Castagne

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 8 mins ago

      More tan Castagne at fault there. Centre backs were nowhere. Meunier showing his age being too slow to get to the scorer.

      1. JBG
        • 8 Years
        2 hours, 8 mins ago

        Meh De Cuyper owner so just upset

        1. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          2 hours, 7 mins ago

          I have Meunier sure !

  6. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    2 hours, 46 mins ago

    Is it for real that I can't change to Mbappe captain because he is my vice captain?

    1. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      2 hours, 44 mins ago

      Ah I figured it out. Change VC first. Might mean you gotta make a sub first. Worth knowing and getting, which I now do

      1. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        2 hours, 43 mins ago

        You can change VC to one of your 11 that hasn't played.

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          2 hours, 40 mins ago

          Yeah, which means I won't be able to captain my final captain choice, Diaz, as there will be no one left who hasn't played to VC. Amateur mistake I guess

          1. Deulofail
            • 10 Years
            2 hours, 38 mins ago

            Bit shite considering that the VC is not even in play after you make any change during the round. It should disappear if it doesn't exist, rather than blocking me!

            Though I don't see why the VC couldn't still be in effect if the new captain doesn't start, but I don't make the rules. I only get screwed by them

          2. Deulofail
            • 10 Years
            2 hours, 32 mins ago

            Should be okay. I can sub in Nyland to VC if he starts. I'd maybe even have to do it if he doesn't. Don't panic, everyone

      2. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        2 hours, 42 mins ago

        So, put VC on a player you aren't going to captain so you aren't stuck trying to captain your last player of the MD with no one left to swap the VC to.

        Welcome to the game, Deulofail!

        1. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          2 hours, 39 mins ago

          Ah here. It's bad enough watching a game at 2 in the morning without trying to process that 😉

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 44 mins ago

      Change him to another vice captain him. Then you can captain him.

    3. theplayer
      • 12 Years
      2 hours, 14 mins ago

      So what happens if you had, say, Bruno and Diaz as your final 2 players in the GW. Can you seriously not change captain from Bruno to Diaz if Diaz was vice?

      1. Better off with a pin and a…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 14 mins ago

        Correct. Put VC on someone you don't want to captain in an early ish game, I guess.

  7. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 36 mins ago

    Belgian players don't look as robust as their Egyptian opponents.

  8. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 23 mins ago

    Why does Micah Richards shout when he's talking? Terrible pundit. Offers nothing.

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 7 mins ago

      He has a sense of humour. Mightn't be as knowledgeable as most pundits but imagine having to listen to the 'enigmatic' Alan Shearer or the cheesy Gary 'Did I mention Barcelona' Lineker for too long.

  9. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 5 mins ago

    So VAR will overturn a corner awarded in error, but not a corner incorrectly given as a goal kick? What a dumbass rule. 🙄

  10. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 54 mins ago

    Doku did well to dive through a narrow gap between two defenders, without touching either of them. 😆

    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 4 mins ago

      I love a slo mo dive. So embarrassing!

  11. Cheeky Reijnders
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 31 mins ago

    I thought I could sub out my captain (who has played) to a player that has not yet played, mid game round. But don't seem to be able to. Any help gratefully accepted. Thanks.

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 6 mins ago

      Is your current vice captain the player you want to captain now?

    2. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      54 mins ago

      You have to change your vice captain first. Put it on your goalie.

    3. DocSocrates
      • 8 Years
      44 mins ago

      If the player you want to Captain is already a VC, “un-block” them by moving the VC to a different player (who hasn’t played) first.

      If the issue is subbing from bench - maybe try moving the Capt to a different player in the 11 first. Then sub new player and THEN try Capping them.

      1. Cheeky Reijnders
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        1 min ago

        Sadly nothing seems to work. I must have misunderstood the rules. Thanks anyway for your advice. GL.

  12. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    53 mins ago

    Muslera starts over Rochet.

    And R. Araujo (defender) is not in the squad.

  13. Early thoughts for MD2..

    Sane + Haaland ---> Yamal + Havertz ;

    Galindez Cakir
    Kimmich Gallardo Wolfe Ordonez Mojica
    Yamal Olise Bruno Kimmich Pedri
    Messi Oyarzabal Havertz

    Go all in on Spain attack, play max cap?