Belgium vs Türkiye: A League A Test Shaped by Two Very Different Starts

Group A1 has already created a clear divide before Belgium and Türkiye meet in Liège, with the hosts sitting on three points and the visitors still searching for their first point of the campaign. Belgium opened with a 2-0 victory away to Italy before losing 1-0 at home to France, while Türkiye suffered narrow and heavy defeats against France and Italy. UEFA lists the match for October 2 at Stade Maurice Dufrasne, with an 18:45 UTC kick-off.
The Belgian side therefore enters the evening trying to keep contact with France and protect its position above Italy, while Türkiye faces a very different task after conceding five goals across its first two matches. The TFF confirmed the 4-1 defeat to Italy left Türkiye bottom of the group on zero points after two rounds.
Mark van Bommel’s team has already shown two contrasting sides: the disciplined away performance that defeated Italy and the late defensive lapse that allowed France to take all three points in Brussels. Reuters reported that Van Bommel is committed to an aggressive, high-intensity approach as he builds his Belgium team.
Türkiye’s opening matches have instead raised questions about how quickly Vincenzo Montella’s side can adapt to the demands of League A, particularly after conceding three first-half goals against Italy. Montella said before the Belgium match that Türkiye need to develop the habit of competing at this level while also defending his players against what he described as unfair criticism.
The setting is also different from Türkiye’s first two fixtures because Belgium’s match is being played in Liège rather than at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. The RBFA confirmed that Stade Maurice Dufrasne is sold out for the encounter, adding another element to an already important group match.
Variation rule: this preview begins with the contrasting trajectories of the two teams and keeps the tactical discussion centred on how Belgium’s pressure game meets Türkiye’s need for greater defensive control, rather than opening with injuries or individual stars.

Belgium’s attacking structure is likely to revolve around Kevin De Bruyne’s ability to connect midfield with the final third, while Charles De Ketelaere offers another option between the lines. Mika Godts and Dodi Lukébakio have both scored during the opening two matches, and both are included in the official UEFA squad list for the fixture.
Türkiye can answer with Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz and Oğuz Aydın, with the official squad list also including Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Deniz Gül and Yunus Akgün. Barış Alper has scored Türkiye’s only goal in the opening two Nations League matches.
One of the most important areas should be the space behind Türkiye’s midfield. Belgium have enough technical quality to circulate possession around a compact block, but Türkiye will want to avoid allowing De Bruyne to repeatedly receive facing forward around the edge of the final third.
At the other end, Arda Güler gives Türkiye a route through the centre rather than relying exclusively on wide attacks. His positioning between Belgium’s midfield and defensive lines could become especially important if Montella’s side can survive the initial Belgian pressure.
The two coaches also face selection questions. Van Bommel has spoken about Romelu Lukaku’s limited recent club involvement and said his selection will depend on the tactical situation, while also stressing that Romeo Lavia’s workload needs to be managed because of his injury history and limited club minutes.
That makes Belgium’s attacking balance particularly interesting: the hosts have established options in the official squad, but the precise combination chosen by Van Bommel will determine whether they seek control through possession or attack Türkiye more directly.

Türkiye’s preparation has also been affected by an injury issue in midfield. The TFF confirmed that Orkun Kökçü was removed from the squad after the pain in his toe increased following the Italy match, with treatment continuing at his club.
The Turkish federation had already reported that Emirhan Topçu missed training because of pain after the Italy match, although he remained on UEFA’s official squad list for the Belgium fixture. That means his availability should not be treated as a confirmed absence without a further official update.
For Belgium, the official UEFA squad list confirms Senne Lammens, Maarten Vandevoordt and Mike Penders among the goalkeepers, with Brandon Mechele, Nathan Ngoy, Timothy Castagne, Joaquin Seys and others available in defence.
The Belgian squad also contains De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans, Lavia, Hans Vanaken and Nicolas Raskin in midfield, giving Van Bommel several options for controlling the central zones.
Türkiye’s official list includes Uğurcan Çakır, Altay Bayındır and Muhammed Şengezer in goal, while the defensive group contains Merih Demiral, Zeki Çelik, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ozan Kabak, Ferdi Kadıoğlu and Eren Elmalı.
The press build-up has consequently focused on Belgium’s response after the France defeat and Türkiye’s need to recover quickly from the Italy loss, while the Turkish camp has stressed adaptation to the level rather than treating the previous result as the end of the campaign.

There is an obvious tactical dilemma for Türkiye: sitting too deep could invite Belgium to control the match around De Bruyne, but pushing the defensive line forward without sufficient protection could create the spaces Belgium’s attacking midfielders want. The visitors therefore need a structure capable of defending centrally while still offering an outlet when possession is recovered.
Belgium have a related problem of their own. Van Bommel’s attacking philosophy demands intensity, but the France match showed how fine the margins can become when a side commits players forward and fails to turn pressure into a decisive second phase.
The recent head-to-head record is unusually balanced: UEFA lists three Belgium wins, three Türkiye wins and five draws across the previous meetings, with Belgium holding an 18-17 aggregate goal advantage.
The immediate group picture, however, gives the fixture a much more modern context. Belgium have three points, Italy also have three, France lead with six, and Türkiye remain on zero after two rounds.
Türkiye’s next match comes against Italy only three days later, making this a demanding period for Montella’s squad and increasing the importance of managing both the tactical workload and player availability. The TFF schedule confirms the Italy match for October 5 in Bologna.
Nothing about the pre-match situation guarantees how the game will unfold, but the central question is clear: can Türkiye turn its attacking talent into a more controlled performance, or will Belgium’s possession and pressure force the visitors into another long defensive evening?

🩺 Confirmed Medical & Availability Update

Belgium

No current Belgium injury has been confirmed as a ruled-out absence by the RBFA in the sources reviewed for this match. Diego Moreira is unavailable because of suspension rather than injury, so he is not included in the injury table. The official UEFA squad list remains the appropriate reference for Belgium’s available players.

Türkiye

Türkiye – Official Injury Absence
Out / Ruled Out	Orkun Kökçü	Toe pain increased after the Italy match; removed from the national-team squad and continuing treatment at his club

The TFF officially announced Kökçü’s withdrawal on September 30. Emirhan Topçu missed a training session because of pain, but the federation did not announce his withdrawal and UEFA still lists him in the official squad, so he is not classified here as ruled out or questionable.

🔵 Matchday Squad Picture & Key Personnel

UEFA’s current match page provides the official squad lists but does not yet publish the confirmed starting XIs in its accessible lineup section. The tables below therefore show official squad-listed personnel and should not be mistaken for confirmed starting lineups. No predicted XI is presented as confirmed.

Belgium – Official Squad Key Personnel

Belgium – Squad & Key Personnel
Goalkeeper	Senne Lammens	Goalkeeper
Defender	Brandon Mechele	Centre-back
Defender	Nathan Ngoy	Centre-back
Defender	Timothy Castagne	Full-back
Midfielder	Kevin De Bruyne	Midfield creator
Midfielder	Youri Tielemans	Central midfield
Midfielder	Roméo Lavia	Central midfield
Midfielder	Joaquin Seys	Wide defensive option
Forward	Dodi Lukébakio	Forward
Forward	Mika Godts	Forward
Forward	Charles De Ketelaere	Forward / attacking role

Türkiye – Official Squad Key Personnel

Türkiye – Squad & Key Personnel
Goalkeeper	Uğurcan Çakır	Goalkeeper
Defender	Merih Demiral	Centre-back
Defender	Zeki Çelik	Full-back
Defender	Abdülkerim Bardakcı	Centre-back
Defender	Ferdi Kadıoğlu	Full-back
Midfielder	Salih Özcan	Central midfield
Midfielder	İsmail Yüksek	Central midfield
Midfielder	Arda Güler	Creative midfielder
Forward	Barış Alper Yılmaz	Forward
Forward	Kerem Aktürkoğlu	Forward
Forward	Oğuz Aydın	Forward

• Belgium: Mark van Bommel is in his first Nations League campaign as Belgium head coach, with Kevin De Bruyne and Roméo Lavia among the central figures in his midfield plans.
• Türkiye: Vincenzo Montella remains in charge, with Arda Güler and Barış Alper Yılmaz among the principal attacking options listed by UEFA.
• Belgium’s group position: three points from two matches, behind France and level on points with Italy.
• Türkiye’s situation: zero points from two matches after defeats to France and Italy.

🟠 The Tactical Question Before Kick-Off

Belgium have the opportunity to make the match about sustained possession and positional pressure, while Türkiye need to make their defensive shape survive the opening exchanges before releasing Güler and their forwards into space. The contrast is straightforward on paper, but the execution will depend heavily on where the midfield battle takes place.
De Bruyne’s movement away from the central zone could drag a Turkish midfielder out of position, creating a channel for De Ketelaere or a wide player to attack. Türkiye’s response will need to be coordinated rather than relying on individual defending.
For Montella, the absence of Kökçü removes an established midfield option after his toe problem forced him out of the squad.
For Van Bommel, the main consideration is how aggressively Belgium can press while keeping enough protection around Lammens and the central defenders. His comments about Lavia also suggest that workload management remains part of the selection discussion.
The pre-match reporting from both camps has therefore concentrated on adaptation: Belgium are trying to establish Van Bommel’s identity after two contrasting results, while Türkiye are attempting to translate their attacking talent into a more stable League A performance.
With the official starting XIs not yet published in UEFA’s accessible match centre at the time of this preview, the final tactical picture should be judged from the confirmed teams once they are released rather than from predictions.

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