Belgium 5-1 New Zealand: Trossard Brace Powers Red Devils to Top of Group G at 2026 World Cup

Lukaku's goal made him Belgium's all-time top scorer at the World Cup with six goals, surpassing Marc Wilmots .

Key Moments

Early Drama with Goal-Line Technology and VAR

The match featured two significant technology-assisted decisions in the first half. Early on, Trossard came close to scoring, but goal-line technology determined the ball did not fully cross the line . In the 20th minute, referee Adham Makhadmeh awarded Belgium a penalty after Finn Surman was struck on the arm by Trossard's shot. However, a VAR review overturned the decision, ruling Surman's arm was in a natural position .

Trossard's Brace Breaks the Deadlock

Belgium's breakthrough came in the 28th minute. Kevin De Bruyne's corner was not cleared, and after a touch from Tim Payne, Trossard reacted first to score from close range . He doubled the lead early in the second half (50'), finishing off a slick Belgian attack started by Jérémy Doku and Hans Vanaken .

De Bruyne's Stunning Strike

Kevin De Bruyne scored his first goal of the 2026 World Cup in the 66th minute. Assisted by Trossard, he took a touch onto his left foot and placed the ball into the net from the edge of the box .

Late Flurry of Goals

New Zealand pulled one back in the 84th minute when Elijah Just capitalized on a loose ball after a corner . However, Belgium responded immediately. Romelu Lukaku headed home in the 86th minute , and Alexis Saelemaekers sealed the 5-1 rout with a powerful shot in stoppage time (90'+4') .

Tournament Standing Impact

Belgium's win, combined with Egypt's 1-1 draw against Iran, resulted in a dramatic shift at the top of Group G .

Final Group G Standings

• Belgium won Group G on goal difference (+4 to Egypt's +2) and advanced to the Round of 32 as group winners .
• Egypt finished second on 5 points and advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in their history; they faced Australia in Dallas on July 3 .
• Iran finished third on 3 points and had to wait on results from other groups to see if they would qualify as one of the best third-placed teams .
• New Zealand finished bottom with 1 point and were eliminated without ever winning a World Cup match .

Personnel Highlights

• Jérémy Doku's return: Doku returned to the starting lineup after recovering from illness and following the birth of his son, providing a dynamic attacking threat [confirmed across multiple match reports].
• Thibaut Courtois' record: Courtois started in goal, setting a new record for the most World Cup appearances by a Belgian player, surpassing Enzo Scifo's previous record of 17 .
• New Zealand's winless streak: The All Whites' search for a first-ever World Cup victory continued . They had netted the opener in each of their first two Group G matches but rarely threatened Belgium .

Broader Group Context: Egypt 1–1 Iran

In the simultaneous Group G match in Seattle, Egypt and Iran drew 1–1 in a tense and dramatic encounter .

• Scorers: Mohamed Hassan (5') for Egypt; Ramin Rezaeian (14') for Iran .
• Dramatic finish: Iran had a last-gasp winning goal from Shoja Khalilzadeh ruled out for offside in stoppage time (96th minute) after a video review .
• Impact: The result secured Egypt's place in the Round of 32 in second place, while Iran's fate depended on the third-placed team rankings across other groups .