BELGIUM have announced their 26-man World Cup squad.
Former Tottenham duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen have both been included as they prepare for a third World Cup with the national team.
But they will NOT be joined by former Liverpool striker Divock Origi after manager Roberto Martinez decided against taking him to Qatar.
The 27-year-old’s eight-year stint at Anfield came to an end in the summer and he signed for AC Milan.
And he has struggled to find his shooting boots in Italy, scoring just once in 13 appearances for the Serie A giants.
That poor form has ultimately cost him as he has failed to be selected for a second World Cup following his participation in the 2014 tournament.
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But fellow former Liverpool man Simon Mignolet has made the squad behind No1 Thibaut Courtois.
In defence, Leicester’s Wout Faes and Timothy Castagne are included.
Manchester City superstar Kevin de Bruyne leads a superb pool of midfielders – which also features another Leicester man in Youri Tielemans, along with Atletico Madrid’s Yannick Carrasco and Borussia Dortmund’s Thorgan Hazard.
And then up front Martinez is blessed with a host of options.
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Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard will captain his country in Qatar.
He will be joined in attack by the likes of Inter Milan loanee Romelu Lukaku, Brighton’s Leandro Trossard, Rennes’ Jeremy Doku, Galatasaray’s Dries Mertens and Fenerbahce’s Michy Batshuayi.
Belgium reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup in Russia, before being knocked out by eventual winners France.
They beat England in the third place play-off to secure their best ever finish in the competition’s history.
Martinez’s men then exited the Euros in the quarter-finals last year, also losing to the subsequent champions, Italy.
Belgium squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).
Defenders: Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Toby Alderweireld (Royal Antwerp), Wout Faes (Leicester), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund), Timothy Castagne (Leicester).
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Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Man City), Youri Tielemans (Leicester), Amadou Onana (Everton), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Leander Dendoncker (Aston Villa), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund).
Forwards: Eden Hazard (Real Madrid), Charles De Ketelaere (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Brighton), Dries Mertens (Galatasaray), Jeremy Doku (Rennes), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan), Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce), Lois Openda (Lens).
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
