Belgium Cautions Against Complacency After 5-0 Friendly Win As World Cup Prep Intensifies

Belgium ended World Cup preparations with a 5-0 victory over 10-man Tunisia, yet Rudi Garcia stressed defensive standards must improve. The head coach felt the scoreline hid problems without the ball, warning that similar lapses during the tournament could punish the Red Devils.

Garcia’s reaction stayed firm despite the clean sheet, as Belgium sometimes switched off defensively. "It is a wake-up call. It is sometimes good for a coach to be able to emphasise that the players must always be focused, always go to the limit," Garcia said. "I told them that I was not satisfied and that they needed to pull themselves together."

Leandro Trossard opened the scoring in the 28th minute after Belgium dominated early possession and territory. The match remained 1-0 at half-time, but momentum shifted once Charles De Ketelaere struck the second and Ismael Gharbi received a red card, leaving Tunisia to finish the contest with ten players.

Belgium’s forwards then exploited the extra space, as Kevin De Bruyne, Dodi Lukebakio and Nicolas Raskin all found the net. The Red Devils produced 27 attempts, generating 4.1 expected goals and hitting the target 12 times. Tunisia managed seven shots, one on target, a total of 0.3 expected goals, and also struck the frame.

Garcia used this match to revisit a back four, after trying three central defenders during the recent 2-0 win over Croatia. That earlier system had looked solid, yet the coach felt Belgium lost structure against Tunisia during parts of the second half.

"Between minutes 55 and 60, we lost the ball. It was just like in training. We defended with six, not eleven. It should be the other way around. We even almost let Tunisia get back into the match. Afterwards, we recovered. We won't win 5-0 every time at the World Cup. Don't forget that we also played against ten men for a long time. But okay, we have gained confidence, and everyone has been able to get some minutes. Morale is pretty much at maximum. And I think we can do even better."

The Belgian camp also highlighted the positive atmosphere around the squad as the World Cup approaches.

Garcia still underlined that the five-goal margin must not hide areas needing work before the tournament. The head coach felt the friendly offered both reassurance in attack and reminders about defensive unity, especially when Belgium face stronger World Cup opposition.

Belgium stay in camp rather than travelling to Seattle on Monday, keeping preparation focused before Group G begins. Their opening World Cup fixture, against Belgium on 15 June, starts the campaign, with further group matches scheduled against Iran and New Zealand as the Red Devils seek progression.