Belgium has called unchanged left back Diego Moreira to their team for the start of their World Cup qualifying members next month, one day after FIFA had approved a nationality switch for the 20-year-old.
Moreira was born in Belgium and played for them at the level below 15, but then chose to fight for Portugal, with in March for their under-21 side in a 4-2 loss for England in the Hawthorns.
He is convinced to change his faithfulness by the new coach Rudi Garcia of Belgium, who called a 26-man team on Tuesday for group J qualifications against North Macedonia in Skopje on 6 June and Wales in Brussels on July 9.
“He is a young but professional player who wants to commit himself to a sports project. He has had an excellent season. So this is a signal for all young players who are doing well,” Garcia said a press conference on Tuesday.
Kevin De Bruyne will continue as a captain despite his departure from Manchester City at the end of the season.
“I have full faith in De Bruyne and the choice he will make for his future. He had ten great seasons in Manchester City,” Garcia added.
“He can be proud of what he has achieved. Kevin is one of the best football players ever and is the conductor of the Red Devils.”
Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana returns from an injury, but the recent ankle operation keeps Fulham full-back Timothy Castagne out.
Belgian team:
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Antwerp), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest), Maarten Vandevoort (RB Leipzig)
Defenders: Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim de Cuyper (Club Brugge), Koni de Winter (Genoa), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Thomas Meunier (Lille), Diego Moreira (Strasbourg), Arthur Frankurt (Eintrijt)
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Jorthy Mokio (Ajax Amsterdam), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Alexis Saelemaekers (as Roma), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge)
Forwards: Charles de Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Malick Fofana (Olympique Lyonnais), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig), Leandro Trossard).
Comments