Leandro Trossard starred with a double before Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku added further gloss as Belgium thumped New Zealand 5-1 to seal top spot in Group G.
2026 World Cup
1-5
Match Report
Leandro Trossard starred with a double before Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku added further gloss as Belgium thumped New Zealand 5-1 to seal top spot in Group G.
Belgium, who had underwhelmed across their first two games, went into Friday's clash at BC Place Vancouver needing a win to be absolutely sure of their place in the World Cup knockout stage.
But with Egypt drawing against Iran, Rudi Garcia's team powered into the round of 32 in style.
A dominant first-half performance from Belgium saw New Zealand fail to have a single attempt.
Having already hit the post, Trossard thought he had won a penalty when his strike hit Finn Surman's arm, but the referee overturned his decision to award a spot-kick following a VAR review.
Belgium's breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute, however, with Trossard on hand to lash home from close range after a goalmouth scramble.
Trossard doubled up five minutes into the second half, reacting sharply to prod in acrobatically after seeing his initial attempt saved by Max Crocombe.
The Arsenal forward could have had an assist when he laid a pinpoint pass into the path of substitute Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who could not keep his effort on target.
Yet Trossard was involved as De Bruyne made it 3-0. The winger's surging run drew a group of New Zealand defenders, with the loose ball ending up at the feet of De Bruyne, who, from outside the box, drilled a crisp attempt into the right-hand corner.
Elijah Just's third World Cup goal marked a consolation for New Zealand and saw Belgium drop out of top spot in the group, but Lukaku was on hand to immediately restore their three-goal cushion with a towering header.
Lukaku turned provider as, with the final kick of the game, Alexis Saelemaekers wrapped up a big win.
Mission accomplished. #NZLBEL#ScoredWithING pic.twitter.com/2IfcobtxBp
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) June 27, 2026
Experienced heads come up with the goods for Garcia
Garcia was under pressure coming into this one, with Belgium having been so wasteful in attack against Iran on MD2.
Belgium had 23 shots in that match, their most without scoring in a World Cup game since 1994 against Saudi Arabia (28).
Indeed, the Red Devils came into this contest on the back of scoring just two goals in their past five World Cup games, and one of those was an own goal.
But Belgium's experienced attackers delivered as they ensured they did not come close to suffering successive group-stage exits.
Their 35 shots ranks as their third-most in a World Cup match on record (1966 onwards), behind their 40 shots against the United States in 2014 and 36 vs El Salvador in 1970. The Red Devils finished with a huge 3.65 expected goals to New Zealand's 0.25 xG.
De Bruyne and Trossard were responsible for a whopping 14 of those, registering seven each, with the latter, at the age of 31 years and 205 days, became the second-oldest player to net a double in a World Cup game for Belgium.
Lukaku then came on and became his nation's leading scorer at the World Cup, with his sixth goal, overtaking Marc Wilmots' tally of five.
Line-ups
New Zealand XI: Wood, Tim Payne, Ryan Thomas, Max Crocombe, Joe Bell, Sarpreet Singh, Liberato Cacace, Elijah Just, Marko Stamenić, Finn Surman, Tyler Bindon
Subs: Kosta Barbarouses, Michael Boxall, Tommy Smith, Alex Rufer, Logan Rogerson, Michael Woud, Callum McCowatt, Callan Elliot, Francis de Vries, Ben Waine, Nando Pijnaker, Alex Paulsen, Ben Old, Jesse Randall, Lachlan Bayliss
Belgium XI: Courtois, De Bruyne, Vanaken, Trossard, Mechele, Tielemans, Castagne, Maxim De Cuyper, De Ketelaere, Doku, Arthur Theate
Subs: Witsel, Lukaku, Meunier, Dodi Lukébakio, Nicolas Raskin, Alexis Saelemaekers, Amadou Onana, Senne Lammens, Koni De Winter, Diego Moreira, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Mike Penders, Joaquin Seys