Belgium booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 with a dominant 5-1 win over New Zealand in their final Group G match. The victory also marked a historic moment for Romelu Lukaku, who became Belgium’s highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.
The Red Devils produced their best performance of the tournament, with Leandro Trossard scoring twice and Kevin De Bruyne delivering a goal and two assists. Lukaku, who came off the bench late in the game, capped the emphatic victory by scoring Belgium’s fifth goal to set a new national World Cup record.
Lukaku creates Belgian football history
Lukaku entered the match as a second-half substitute and found the net in the 86th minute. The goal was his sixth at the FIFA World Cup, taking him past the previous Belgian record and adding another milestone to his remarkable international career.
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Already Belgium’s all-time leading scorer, the veteran striker once again proved his value by making an immediate impact after coming on.
Belgium head into knockouts with confidence
Belgium were in complete control throughout the contest. Trossard opened the scoring before adding his second, while De Bruyne dictated play from midfield with an outstanding display. Alexis Saelemaekers also got on the scoresheet to complete a convincing team performance.
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New Zealand managed a consolation goal through Elijah Just in the closing stages, but Lukaku struck moments later to restore Belgium’s four-goal advantage.
Romelu Lukaku is now Belgium's all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with six goals, surpassing Marc Wilmots' record of five. ⚽👏🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/IFooOotFLs
— dailysportsafrica.com (@dailysportsug) June 27, 2026
The win ensured Belgium finished top of Group G and advanced to the Round of 32, where they will face one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
For New Zealand, the defeat ended their World Cup campaign. They fought hard throughout the group stage but could not keep pace with Belgium’s attacking quality in the decisive encounter.
Belgium, meanwhile, will enter the knockout stage full of confidence after their strongest display of the tournament. With experienced players such as Lukaku and De Bruyne finding top form at the right time, the Red Devils will believe they have the quality to challenge for a place in the latter stages of the World Cup.
