Tunisia’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup suffered a significant setback after the Eagles of Carthage were thrashed 5-0 by Belgium in their final warm-up match before the tournament.
The North Africans arrived in Brussels hoping to build momentum ahead of their World Cup opener against Sweden on June 14, but instead endured a difficult evening at the King Baudouin Stadium as a clinical Belgian side exposed defensive frailties and capitalised on a second-half collapse.
Belgium took control of the contest in the 27th minute when Leandro Trossard finished from close range after being picked out by Jérémy Doku. The hosts carried that advantage into the break before turning the match into a one-sided affair after halftime.
Charles De Ketelaere doubled Belgium’s lead seven minutes into the second half, heading home from a precise Youri Tielemans delivery to leave Tunisia chasing the game.
Any hopes of a comeback were dealt a major blow in the 61st minute when Tunisia midfielder Ismaël Gharbi was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. Reduced to ten men, the visitors struggled to contain Belgium’s attacking quality.
Kevin De Bruyne quickly took advantage, adding a third goal with a trademark strike from outside the penalty area just three minutes after Gharbi’s dismissal.
Belgium continued to dominate proceedings as substitutes Dodi Lukébakio and Nicolas Raskin added late goals in the 84th and 86th minutes respectively to complete an emphatic 5-0 victory.
The result raises concerns for Tunisia and head coach Sabri Lamouchi ahead of the World Cup. The Eagles of Carthage entered the tournament on the back of a historic qualifying campaign in which they failed to concede a single goal, but Belgium’s attacking display highlighted areas that will need urgent attention before the competition begins.
Despite the heavy defeat, Tunisia will hope to quickly regroup as they prepare for a challenging Group stage campaign. The North Africans open their World Cup journey against Sweden on June 14 before facing further tests against strong opposition as they attempt to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.
For Belgium, the victory provides a major confidence boost ahead of their own World Cup campaign. The Red Devils looked sharp in attack, controlled possession throughout the contest and demonstrated the depth of talent within their squad with several players contributing to the scoring.
With the warm-up schedule now complete, both nations will turn their attention to North America, where the real challenge begins. Tunisia will be desperate to put this disappointing result behind them, while Belgium will travel to the tournament believing they have the quality to make a deep run on football’s biggest stage
