why is lukaku not playing

Romelu Lukaku isn’t playing much right now mainly because of fitness issues and a recent hamstring problem, not because he’s been dropped for no reason. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia has said he is fit enough to be involved, but not ready to handle a full 90 minutes or start matches consistently.

What’s going on

• Lukaku spent much of the season recovering from a hamstring injury.

• He has had very limited club minutes this season, which has affected his match sharpness.

• Garcia has publicly said Lukaku “can’t start a game” right now and “cannot handle 90 minutes” yet.

Tactical angle

• In some matches, Belgium have also chosen a different starting striker for tactical reasons, with Lukaku used as a substitute option instead.

• So the issue is a mix of fitness, conditioning, and rotation , not a single dramatic exclusion.

Latest read

The latest reports suggest Belgium still value him highly, but they are managing his workload carefully as he works back to full condition. In short: he’s not playing because he’s still being eased back in after injury, and Belgium do not want to risk him for a full match yet.

Would you like the latest update on whether he is expected to start the next Belgium match?