Belgium crush New Zealand 5-1 to win World Cup Group G as Trossard and De Bruyne fire
Leandro Trossard scored twice and Kevin De Bruyne added a goal on the eve of his 35th birthday as Belgium finally found their form to overwhelm New Zealand and snatch top spot from Egypt.
Belgium’s breakthrough in Vancouver
Belgium delivered their best performance of the 2026 World Cup so far, crushing New Zealand 5-1 at BC Place on the final matchday of Group G. After two drab draws against Egypt (1-1) and Iran (0-0) had sparked criticism of coach Rudi Garcia, the Red Devils finally unshackled their attack. Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, pouncing on a loose ball after a De Bruyne corner caused chaos in the six-yard box.
Trossard grabbed his second five minutes into the second half, finishing a pass from De Bruyne at the second attempt. De Bruyne then swept in a low shot from 20 yards in the 66th minute, a strike that underlined the quality Belgium had been missing. Substitutes Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers added late goals after Elijah Just had briefly threatened a fightback, making it 3-1 in the 84th minute. Lukaku’s header restored the three-goal cushion within two minutes, and Saelemaekers completed the rout deep into added time.
Dominance from the start
The gulf in class was stark even before the first goal. Belgium pinned New Zealand in their own half, registering 15 shots to nil in the first half alone. Trossard had rattled the post in the 11th minute, with defender Tyler Bindon scrambling the ball clear along the line. Referee Adham Makhadmeh later overturned a penalty award for Belgium after a VAR check, but the pressure remained unrelenting.
New Zealand’s attacking threat, largely dependent on Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, never materialised. Winger Jeremy Doku, back in the side after missing training to attend the birth of his son Praise in London, was subdued and withdrawn after 56 minutes. The 52,497 crowd witnessed Belgium’s most convincing statement yet heading into the knockout phase.
- Trossard prods in from close range after De Bruyne corner
- Trossard nets his second, finishing a De Bruyne pass
- De Bruyne sweeps low shot from 20 yards
- Elijah Just scores New Zealand's consolation
- Lukaku restores three-goal lead with header
- Saelemaekers completes 5-1 rout
Group G decided by late drama in Seattle
Belgium’s victory alone would not have guaranteed top spot. In the parallel fixture in Seattle, Egypt were held to a 1-1 draw by Iran, a result that allowed Belgium to leapfrog them on goal difference. Iran, with three points, had a stoppage-time winner ruled out for offside after VAR intervention, leaving them third but still in contention for a round-of-32 spot as one of the best third-placed teams.
Egypt finished second and will face Australia in Dallas on July 3. New Zealand, without a win in three World Cup appearances, depart the tournament with the 2-2 draw against Iran as their best result.
What’s next for Belgium
Garcia’s team will return to Seattle for their last-32 match on July 1, where they will meet an as-yet-unknown third-placed qualifier. After the sluggish start to the tournament, the five-goal salvo may ease some of the pressure on the 62-year-old Frenchman, whose tenure had been questioned at home.
The performance also gave a glimpse of the old magic from De Bruyne, whose club future remains uncertain. His touch and vision orchestrated the win, and his well-taken goal showed that even in the autumn of his career he can still define a match.
