belgium Coach Rudi Garcia Faces Locker Room Revolt After Kazakhstan Draw
Brussels – Belgium‘s national football team is in crisis as a 1-1 draw against Kazakhstan has triggered open dissent towards coach Rudi Garcia, both from players and the media. The result, achieved Saturday evening, jeopardized Belgium’s automatic qualification for the World Cup and exposed deep fractures within the squad.
manchester City winger Jérémy Doku ignited the controversy, stating, “If we need them to beat Kazakhstan, we won’t do anything at the World Cup.” He also criticized the team’s preparation, noting, “We thought they would play long, but they played short.Maybe we didn’t analyze our opponent enough,” a remark widely interpreted as a challenge to Garcia’s tactical approach.
The Belgian press responded with unusual severity. Peter Vandenbempt of Sporza described Doku’s comments as “as worrying as the match itself,” urging Garcia to “urgently repair the link with your locker room.” Publications like The Newspaper and RTBF alluded to “outdated coaching” and “a project running out of steam.” garcia, already under scrutiny following a draw against north Macedonia, now appears increasingly isolated.
Tensions between Garcia and key players, including Doku, have been simmering since Garcia’s debut in March, when Doku was an unused substitute. While the relationship seemingly improved, frustrations resurfaced with the recent poor performance. Other players, such as Nicolas Raskin, have also displayed discontent, indicating a locker room losing faith in Garcia’s methods.
Belgium can still secure World Cup qualification with a win against liechtenstein on Tuesday. However, analysts suggest the core issue is a broader loss of confidence and support for the coach. Garcia’s future with the Red Devils is now in doubt,with his authority visibly eroded ahead of the tournament.
