Senegal have scored eight goals and conceded six so far at World Cup 2026
Both of these teams scored five in their final group games (Senegal 5-0 Iran, Belgium 5-1 New Zealand)
Belgium topped Group G ahead of Egypt and Iran
The last chance for Belgium’s Golden Generation to deliver meaningful success reaches its next stage in Seattle as the Red Devils take on Senegal’s Teranga Lions for a spot in the last 16, in a game that promises goals.
Both of these sides won big last time out after uninspiring starts to the competition. A 5-1 thumping of New Zealand was enough to secure top spot for a Belgian side that had drawn their first two, while Senegal bounced back from defeats against France and Norway to pick up a 5-0 success over Iraq and qualify for this stage.
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There is some mileage in the belief that this World Cup is at least four years too late for Belgium to be credible contenders. There’s immense individual talent there, in Kevin de Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans among others. Eight years ago in Russia, they reached the semis. But since then, the trend has been mostly downward as star players have begun to retire. And when they snatched a draw late on against Egypt before a lifeless 0-0 with Iran, there was a strong risk that they might match 2022’s group stage exit.
They have recovered some of their verve, though, the final group game seeing them burst into life with attacking contributions from de Bruyne and Lukaku adding to a double from Leandro Trossard as New Zealand were comfortably dispatched. Senegal are a different proposition, for sure, but there are still some threads of gold in this Belgium side.
Senegal, for their part, are one of a pocket of African teams that has, since the turn of the century, shown unmistakable signs that they can take on and defeat the more fancied European and South American sides. A quarter-final in 2002 was, until Morocco’s semi-final run last time, the best performance from an African side at a World Cup. This year, they had the misfortune of being drawn alongside France and Norway – and therefore Mbappe and Haaland – in the groups, and defeats (3-1 and 3-2 respectively) against those opponents left their last-32 hopes hanging by a thread.
That thread wasn’t looking particularly strong, either, when Senegal went in at half-time 1-0 up on Iraq but needing to burnish their goal difference significantly to have a chance of being one of the best third-placed sides. Thankfully, two stunning strikes from Pape Gueye provided all the flash and bang needed to underpin a 5-0 win that ended up being more than enough to get them under the wire. And with that momentum, they’ll provide a definite threat to Belgium here.
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Controversial this choice may be, but for all that Belgium are favored by the top World Cup betting sites, games like this one are exactly where they have slipped up in the past with squads that were probably better than the one they possess now. Senegal may have lost their first two games, but France and Norway are sides that could realistically win this tournament so that’s no disgrace. Add to this the fact that the Teranga Lions are more than capable of putting up a defensive barrier which could frustrate the favourites, and we’re calling for the upset victory (+240 with BetMGM) here.
Both of these teams are more than capable in attack, and with this being a knockout contest one goal for either side will bring the other one out swinging. The result could be a true slugfest between sides who believe that they should at least be in the last 16 and won’t want to countenance leaving anything on the table here. Add in the fact that the two combined for ten goals in their final group games and – while nothing in football is certain – we can see this being a high-scoring contest, and 2-1 would be far from a surprising scoreline.
Much of the attention in this contest will be on the likes of de Bruyne and Lukaku on the Belgian side and Nicolas Jackson or Iliman N’Diaye for Senegal. But in games like this it’s often the clutch, efficient players who step up and deliver, and Trossard’s knack of popping up at the edge of the box to provide clean, decisive strikes makes +700 look like an undervaluing. He’s shown up when it matters for club and country and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him grab one this evening.
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