<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/belgium/">Belgium</a> faces the USMNT on Monday, July 6th, at Seattle Stadium in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16, with a quarterfinal spot on the line. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/jeremy-doku/">Jeremy Doku</a>‘s absence from the starting lineup, however, has raised questions among fans.



Doku has been dropped from the starting XI by head coach Rudi Garcia following a series of underwhelming performances during the tournament. The Manchester City winger will begin the match on the bench, waiting for his opportunity if called upon.



Garcia addressed Doku’s situation at his pre-match press conference, leaving little ambiguity about the decision. “We played without Jeremy in the three group stage matches,” the coach noted, referencing his starts against Egypt and in the 5-1 win over New Zealand.



The Belgian boss also pointed to the disruptions that affected Doku’s buildup to the tournament, including his temporary departure from camp for the birth of his son. “Jeremy wasn’t always available during our preparations. When a player isn’t at their best, they can experience a dip afterward. That’s what happened,” Garcia said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2026/07/01150501/jeremy-doku-belgium-new-zealand-1920x1080.webp" alt="Ben Old of New Zealand competes for the ball with Jeremy Doku of Belgium." class="wp-image-661781"><figcaption>Ben Old of New Zealand competes for the ball with Jeremy Doku of Belgium.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Doku and a troubled World Cup</h2>



Heading into the tournament, Doku was one of Belgium’s most exciting players to watch, his explosiveness and dribbling ability having established him as a key piece at Manchester City. But a series of off-field disruptions have prevented him from finding anywhere near his best form.


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His preparation was compromised from the start by a respiratory illness that hampered his buildup in the weeks before the tournament. Then came the birth of his first child in the middle of the competition, which required a lightning-fast trip to London and cost him the game against Iran.



The accumulated disruptions have shown up clearly in his numbers on the field. Of 13 attempted dribbles across the three matches he started, Doku completed just six, far below the standard expected of him. A single completed dribble against Senegal in the Round of 32 proved to be the tipping point, prompting Garcia to drop him from the starting lineup for the first time at this World Cup.

Why isn’t Jeremy Doku starting for Belgium against the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup?

Why isn't Jeremy Doku starting for Belgium against the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup? - World Soccer Talk

<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/belgium/">Belgium</a> and Senegal are set to collide on Wednesday, July 1st, in a high-stakes Round of 32 clash at the 2026 World Cup at Seattle Stadium. After the young winger temporarily stepped away from the national team camp, fans have been buzzing with questions regarding whether <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/jeremy-doku/">Jeremy Doku</a> would return straight to the starting lineup for the Red Devils.



Doku has officially been named to the starting XI to face <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/senegal/">Senegal</a> in this crucial knockout match. After briefly leaving the team’s base camp to attend the birth of his son (which caused him to miss the group-stage match against Iran), the Manchester City winger made a seamless return to action against New Zealand and is now in peak physical condition to anchor the attack against the African powerhouse.



Belgium enters the knockout rounds after snapping a frustrating streak of three consecutive World Cup draws (dating back to a scoreless stalemate with Croatia in 2022) by securing a dominant 5-1 blowout over New Zealand. By locking up the top spot in Group G with five points, the Red Devils are now desperate to erase a recent winless funk against African opposition, having previously fallen to Morocco 2-0 and settling for a 1-1 draw against Egypt earlier in this tournament.



On the other side of the pitch, Senegal scraped into the knockout bracket by securing the final wild-card spot among the top third-place finishers, surviving the group phase with just three points. After opening their campaign with highly competitive 3-1 and 3-2 losses to France and Norway respectively, a resounding 5-0 clinical destruction of Iraq threw a much-needed lifeline to the Lions of Teranga, who are making the most of their fourth World Cup appearance in national history.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2026/07/01150501/jeremy-doku-belgium-new-zealand-1920x1080.webp" alt="Ben Old of New Zealand competes for the ball with Jeremy Doku of Belgium." class="wp-image-661781"><figcaption>Ben Old of New Zealand competes for the ball with Jeremy Doku of Belgium.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>A historic, first-ever meeting between two powerhouse nations</h2>



Despite both programs consistently ranking among the top 20 nations in the world over the last decade, Belgium and Senegal have remarkably never crossed paths on the soccer pitch, not even in an international friendly. This means that tonight’s high-stakes Round of 32 battle will mark the first time these two teams have ever shared a field, opening up a brand-new head-to-head chapter on the sport’s grandest stage.


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<h2>Confirmed lineups for Belgium and Senegal</h2>



Belgium’s confirmed lineups (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Arthur Theate, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Kevin De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans; Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku. Head coach: Rudi Garcia.



Senegal’s confirmed lineups (4-2-3-1): Mory Diaw; Krepin Diatta, Pathe Ciss, Moussa Niakhate, Ismail Jakobs; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Habib Diarra, Pape Gueye; Iliman Ndiaye,Ismaila Sarr, Sadio Mane. Head coach: Pape Thiaw.

Is Jeremy Doku playing? Belgium vs Senegal confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

Is Jeremy Doku playing? Belgium vs Senegal confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game - World Soccer Talk

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The stakes could not be higher at Vancouver Stadium as New Zealand and Belgium face off in their final Group G fixture. Both nations enter this crucial 2026 <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup/">World Cup</a> Matchday 3 showdown with possibilities of securing their place in the Round of 32.



<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/new-zealand/">New Zealand</a> have shown plenty of fight without much reward, opening the tournament with a 2-2 draw against Iran before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Egypt. That result leaves the All Whites bottom of the group on just one point, meaning Darren Bazeley’s side face the biggest match in their World Cup history.



For <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/belgium/">Belgium</a>, the path has been frustratingly stagnant rather than disastrous. The Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw by Egypt before a second straight stalemate, this time a goalless draw against Iran, leaving Rudi Garcia’s men on two points and in need of three more to guarantee qualification out of Group G.



For this crucial game, Jeremy Doku will be back in the starting team. The Manchester City winger briefly left the Belgium camp earlier in the tournament for the birth of his first child but has since rejoined the squad.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2026/06/26230112/doku-belgium-1920x1080.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-659911"><figcaption>Jeremy Doku of Belgium during the game vs Iran. (Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



<h2>New Zealand confirmed lineup</h2>



The only doubt for Darren Bazeley comes at left-back, where Liberato Cacace has not completed a full 90 minutes since returning from a long injury layoff, leaving the door open for Ben Old or Francis de Vries to come in.


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New Zealand’s confirmed starting XI: Max Crocombe; Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Tyler Bindon, Liberato Cacace; Joe Bell, Marko Stamenic; Ryan Thomas, Sarpreet Singh, Elijah Just; Chris Wood.



<h2>Belgium confirmed lineup</h2>



Garcia is forced into at least one change at the back, with Nathan Ngoy suspended after picking up a red card against Iran. Zeno Debast would ordinarily be the natural replacement, but fitness concerns mean Arthur Theate is instead tipped to slot in at center back.



Belgium’s confirmed starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Arthur Theate, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Youri Tielemans; Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku; Charles De Ketelaere.

Is Jeremy Doku playing? New Zealand vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup Group G game

Is Jeremy Doku playing? New Zealand vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup Group G game - World Soccer Talk

The absence of Manchester City star Jeremy Doku from <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup/is-kevin-de-bruyne-playing-belgium-vs-iran-confirmed-lineups-for-the-2026-world-cup-game/">Belgium’s starting lineup to face Iran</a> has left many soccer fans searching for answers ahead of the pivotal <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup/">2026 World Cup</a> Group G encounter at SoFi Stadium.



Widely regarded as one of coach Rudi Garcia’s most dangerous attacking weapons, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/jeremy-doku/">Doku</a> was completely omitted from the matchday squad. The official reason behind his sudden absence is a recurring respiratory infection that flared up severely during the team’s stay in Los Angeles.



According to reports from the Belgian medical camp, Doku has been quietly battling breathing difficulties and a severe cold for several weeks. While the 24-year-old managed to play 86 minutes during the 1-1 opening draw against Egypt, his condition took a significant turn for the worse following Saturday night’s final training session in California.



To avoid risking long-term complications, the technical staff opted to pull him from selection and put him on a strict course of antibiotics.



<h2>When will Jeremy Doku return?</h2>



The medical team is optimistic that a week of rest and clinical recovery will have the explosive winger fully fit to feature in Vancouver on June 26.



The decision to sideline Doku today is a precautionary measure designed to safeguard his availability for the rest of the tournament. Given that Group G is fully locked in a four-way tie with every team sitting on one point, managing player workloads has become a delicate tightrope walk for the coaching staff.



“It is better to let him rest now and then work towards the last group match against New Zealand,” explained Vincent Mannaert, Belgium’s sports director.

Why isn’t Jeremy Doku playing for Belgium against Iran at the 2026 World Cup?

Why isn't Jeremy Doku playing for Belgium against Iran at the 2026 World Cup? - World Soccer Talk

With the Premier League title race entering its decisive stage, Manchester City arrived under enormous pressure ahead of the clash with Crystal Palace. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/erling-haaland/">Erling Haaland</a> remained one of the biggest talking points before kickoff, while Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku were also heavily discussed after supporters noticed major changes to Pep Guardiola’s lineup.



Crystal Palace travelled to the Etihad with little pressure compared to the home side, but the London club still has plenty to play for late in the campaign. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/manchester-city/">Manchester City</a> knows anything less than victory could hand Arsenal a massive advantage in the race for the title.



The buildup to the match had already been intense following Arsenal’s controversial victory over West Ham United. That result left City needing all three points to reduce the gap at the top of the table and keep the title fight alive heading into the final weeks of the season.



Pep Guardiola also had one eye on the upcoming FA Cup final, with concerns surrounding player fitness and workload beginning to grow. Several important names had recently dealt with knocks, including Rodri and Josko Gvardiol, while others had played heavy minutes during a packed schedule.



<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A midweek PL matchday ✊ 🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/Revolut?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Revolut</a> <a href="https://t.co/VQj89hnSzn">pic.twitter.com/VQj89hnSzn</a>— Manchester City (@ManCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/2054467784973729913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2026</a></blockquote></div>



Reports before kickoff hinted that Guardiola could rotate his side heavily against Crystal Palace. Omar Marmoush, Phil Foden and Savinho were all pushing for starting roles after impressive recent performances from the bench.



<h2>Why Haaland, Cherki and Doku were not starting</h2>



The mystery surrounding the absence of Haaland, Cherki and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/jeremy-doku/">Doku</a> from the starting lineup was eventually explained shortly before kickoff. Manchester City decided to rest all three attacking stars ahead of the FA Cup final, with Guardiola choosing to protect several key players during one of the busiest stretches of the season.



The official lineup confirmed the changes. Haaland, Cherki and Doku all began the game on the bench, while Marmoush, Savinho and Antoine Semenyo were handed opportunities in attack instead.



<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Lining up for City! 🩵 XI | Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri, Bernardo (C), Foden, Semenyo, Savinho, Marmoush SUBS | Trafford, Dias, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Haaland, Cherki, Doku 🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/etihad?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@etihad</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZD9bvU3p1H">pic.twitter.com/ZD9bvU3p1H</a>— Manchester City (@ManCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/2054618928492499446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2026</a></blockquote></div>



City also welcomed back Josko Gvardiol after a lengthy absence, with Guardiola making six changes overall to the starting XI. Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Phil Foden also returned to the side for the crucial encounter.



The decision highlighted how carefully Guardiola is managing his squad during the closing weeks of the season. Manchester City still has a realistic chance of winning the Premier League, but the FA Cup final also represents a major opportunity for silverware.

Why aren’t Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku starting for Man City vs Crystal Palace today?

Why aren’t Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku starting for Man City vs Crystal Palace today? - World Soccer Talk

Manchester City has <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11679/12944715/jeremy-doku-man-city-agree-55-5m-deal-to-sign-belgian-winger-from-french-club-rennes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a> agreed a massive fee with Rennes to sign Jeremy Doku on a permanent transfer. The reigning <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">Champions League</a> winners are expected to pay the French side around $70 million for the star winger. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/west-ham-tv-schedule/">West Ham</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a>, and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/tottenham-tv-schedule/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> were all previously linked with the Belgium international. However, City has won the race to sign the starlet and Doku will now join up with international teammate Kevin De Bruyne.



<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/the-history-of-manchester-united-vs-manchester-city-gary-james-interview-video-20130406-CMS-52551.html">City</a> was deep in decisions with the <a href="https://www.worldsoccertalk.com/ligue-un-tv-schedule">Ligue 1</a> side for around three weeks. The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> club wanted Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise as well. However, the France U21 international rejected moves out of south London and signed a new contract with his current club.



<h5>Premier League champions find Mahrez replacement</h5>



Doku is traveling to Manchester on Tuesday ahead of a proposed medical. The 21-year-old Belgian already has a goal under his belt in the current campaign. Doku scored for Rennes in their opening Ligue 1 match of the season back on Aug. 13. The winger netted six goals and added two assists for the French side during the 2022/23 season. Doku featured mainly as a substitute. He managed just 12 top-flight starts in Ligue 1.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">💎 <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyDoku?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeremyDoku</a> is special <a href="https://t.co/PLjVfd8pfo">pic.twitter.com/PLjVfd8pfo</a>— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/1673353172088389634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The Belgian is a direct replacement for Riyad Mahrez. The Algeria international previously departed City to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli. Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Cole Palmer have played out on the right flank in the early stages of the 2023/24 season. Nevertheless, Doku will now give City another option at the position.



<h2>Doku move could make City sell highly rated Palmer</h2>



The decision to sign Doku may now, however, force Palmer out of the club. Despite Doku’s acclaim, he <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/dortmund-west-ham-chasing-man-city-starlet-palmer-20230819-WST-451066.html">proclaimed</a> that he wants plenty of playing time. Doku’s imminent arrival blocks Palmer from receiving this ample time on the pitch. Also, Guardiola claimed City may sell the youngster at some point this month. 



City next face Sheffield United on Sunday, Aug. 27. It is possible that Doku could be ready in time to feature in South Yorkshire; however, he may have to wait until the following match to make his City debut. 



PHOTO: IMAGO / Crystal Pix

Man City set to sign Jeremy Doku in $70 million deal

Manchester City has reportedly agreed a huge fee with French club Rennes to sign Belgian international winger Jeremy Doku.

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