Belgium urge calm after Lukaku scores in away win at Croatia

Belgium's national football team achieved a notable 2-0 away win against Croatia, a performance that has generated cautious optimism ahead of the upcoming World Cup. The victory was highlighted by a significant moment: Romelu Lukaku's 90th international goal, his first in a year, signaling a strong return after a challenging season marred by injury and limited playing time.

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For him, it’s huge. ​He lives for goals. So the fact that he scored is something we’re really ​happy about.

Coach Rudi Garcia expressed happiness over Lukaku's goal, recognizing its importance for the striker's confidence. However, he stressed the need for a measured approach, warning against rushing the player back. "We need to bring him along step by step," Garcia stated, referencing Lukaku's recent hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for months. Despite the striker showing he is further along than anticipated, Garcia cautioned that prolonged absences can lead to initial strong performances followed by setbacks.

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You also saw the reaction of his teammates. They all went over to celebrate with him, and he deserves it.

Captain Youri Tielemans opened the scoring against the run of play, capitalizing on a defensive error. Belgium's performance improved significantly in the second half, with Lukaku's late goal adding a decisive flourish. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne acknowledged the tight nature of the match, noting that the team tested various strategies without necessarily implementing everything for the World Cup. He added that the team remained compact and defended well, but identified areas for improvement.

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Our top scorer, our super ​top scorer, has scored again, and that’s fantastic. That goal is good for his confidence. Still, we ​have to remain cautious. It can be dangerous to rush things. We need to bring him along step by step.

De Bruyne echoed the coach's sentiment for calm, stating, "This is a good start, but we need to stay calm. So much can still change." Belgium is scheduled for another warm-up match against Tunisia before heading to the United States for their opening Group G match against Egypt on June 15.

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However, he showed ​once again that he’s further along than we thought. With long injury absences, it often works ​like this: you can be very good at the beginning and then suffer a setback afterwards.