Jeremy Doku won’t be on the pitch when Belgium faces Iran in their second World Cup group game. The Manchester City winger is dealing with a respiratory infection that’s kept him in the team hotel while the rest of the squad prepares for Thursday’s match.
This isn’t some new thing for Doku either. He had the same infection a few weeks ago and bounced back from it. But now it’s flared up again at the worst possible time. Belgian outlet HLN first reported the news Tuesday morning, and the team hasn’t disputed it.
For Belgium, that’s a blow — but maybe not a fatal one. They still have more than enough talent to handle Iran on paper. But the bigger concern, the one that showed up against Egypt in a tune-up friendly, is the lack of pace on the wings. Without Doku stretching defenses, Belgium looked unbalanced in that match. Opponents could double-team him without paying a price elsewhere, because Leandro Trossard just doesn’t offer that same vertical threat.
So what does Rudi Garcia do now?
He’s got some cards to play. Dodi Lukebako has a decent scoring record in a Belgium shirt, and Garcia could also shift Charles De Ketelaere out wide — a guy with size and creativity who might cause Iran some different problems. There’s also Matias Fernandez-Pardo, a younger option who could get a look if Garcia wants to gamble on raw speed.
The upside here is that someone gets a chance to prove they belong in the starting XI. World Cup minutes aren’t handed out every day. If Lukebako or De Ketelaere steps up against Iran, Garcia might have a real selection headache when Doku returns — assuming he does return during the tournament.
Belgium’s medical staff said Doku will rest and isolate at the hotel. The team hasn’t given a timeline on when he might be cleared to play again. For now, the focus is on getting three points against Iran and hoping this thing clears up before the knockout rounds.
Leave a Comment