Belgium reach World Cup knockouts as New Zealand exit tournament
Key takeaways
- A double strike from Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard against New Zealand carried Belgium to top of Group G, ahead of Egypt on goal difference.
- A double strike from Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard and goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers carried Belgium into the last 32 in first place ahead of Egypt on goal difference.
- Egypt claimed the runners-up spot after a 1-1 draw with Iran in Seattle.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
A double strike from Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard against New Zealand carried Belgium to top of Group G, ahead of Egypt on goal difference.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Leandro Trossard #10 scored twice for Belgium in their 5-1 win over New Zealand [Alex Grimm/Getty Images/AFP]By Al Jazeera Staff and AFPPublished On 27 Jun 202627 Jun 2026Belgium defeated New Zealand 5-1 to book their place in the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup on Friday, eliminating the All Whites from the tournament. The result secured the European nation’s first win of the World Cup, as they finished on top of Group G in Vancouver.
A double strike from Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard and goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers carried Belgium into the last 32 in first place ahead of Egypt on goal difference.