Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia has warned his players against underestimating Senegal ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash, describing the Teranga Lions as the strongest African team and the toughest of the third-placed nations to reach the knockout stage.
The Red Devils face Senegal on Wednesday with a place in the Round of 16 at stake, but Garcia insists his side will need to produce their best performance to overcome a team he believes has all the qualities to go deep in the tournament.
Despite topping their group, Belgium’s campaign has been far from convincing. The Red Devils opened with a 1-1 draw against Egypt before being held to a goalless stalemate by Iran, only finding their rhythm in a commanding 5-1 victory over New Zealand in their final group match.
Those mixed performances have attracted criticism at home, but Garcia is focused solely on the challenge posed by Senegal.
“We have to beat Senegal, that’s all we care about,” Garcia told RTBF.
“I know many of the players in that team. I was at Saint-Étienne when Pape Thiaw started his professional career.”
The Belgian coach reserved special praise for the African champions, insisting they are stronger than their tournament results alone suggest.
“They are the best African nation,” Garcia said.
“They are a complete team, both offensively and defensively.”
He also dismissed the idea that Senegal’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Iraq should define perceptions of the Teranga Lions, arguing that the scoreline did not fully reflect the nature of the contest after Iraq were reduced to ten men early in the match.
“The victory against Iraq doesn’t necessarily reflect their true level because they quickly played with a numerical advantage,” he explained.
“Above all, Senegal came through the toughest group at this World Cup.”
Garcia believes Senegal’s ability to emerge from a highly competitive group demonstrates their quality and makes them the most difficult opponent among the eight best third-placed teams to qualify for the knockout rounds.
Belgium will now attempt to overcome one of Africa’s most consistent sides as both nations chase a place in the Round of 16 of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.
