Garcia blames medical team for Belgium's World Cup struggles after leaving post

Rudi Garcia, the former coach of the Belgian national football team, has publicly spoken for the first time since his departure, attributing their World Cup performance issues to the team's medical staff. Garcia, whose contract was not renewed after the tournament, believes that inadequate treatment of player injuries and illnesses hampered their campaign.

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We jeopardized our World Cup because of certain injuries and illnesses that were not properly treated.

"We jeopardized our World Cup because of certain injuries and illnesses that were not properly treated," Garcia told the Brussels newspaper Le Soir. He cited the case of Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku, who struggled with illness and ended up in emergency care with fluid in his lungs, despite Garcia's insistence on a scan.

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A week earlier, at my insistence, we managed to get an appointment for a scan. The doctor did not think a scan was necessary because Jeremy was given antibiotics. Jeremy felt better and in the end, he himself did not want to go. But six days later, he spent a night in emergency.

Garcia also pointed to injuries sustained by captain Youri Tielemans, Charles De Ketelaere, and Zeno Debast during the tournament. While the Belgian Football Association has not yet responded, Garcia expressed that he completed his mission with the team and left without resentment, having helped put Belgium back on the world football map.

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I came with a mission. I took Belgium under my wing because the World Cup was approaching with Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Romelu Lukaku. I thought these three legends could still carry Belgium and that together we could lead them further.

Despite the perceived shortcomings, Garcia indicated he might have stayed if offered an extension, valuing the relationships built over 18 months. However, he felt his mission was fulfilled and it was time to move on, leaving with peace and satisfaction.

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My mission ended when the World Cup ended. Together we experienced some very beautiful things.