Trossard's brace keeps Belgium alive, masks deeper team struggles
In brief
- Trossard scored two goals to become Belgium's first male goalscorer at the 2026 World Cup
- Belgium had failed to score across four consecutive matches spanning two World Cups before Trossard's breakthrough
- Arsenal forward created nine chances in group play, more than any other player, highlighting team's offensive struggles
Breaking a Scoreless Drought
Belgium hadn't scored at a World Cup since the 2022 edition in Qatar, where they crashed out in the group stage. That silence extended further back. Four consecutive matches without a goal across two World Cups will do that. Trossard's two goals against New Zealand weren't just a relief — they were a necessity.
The moment captured something larger about this Belgian team. Group G, which includes Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand, was supposed to be navigable. Instead, Belgium limped through until Trossard's individual brilliance forced a reprieve.
One Player, One Solution
What makes Trossard's performance even more revealing is what came before it. He created a reported nine chances across the group stage, more than any other player in the group. That's impressive on its own. It's also alarming from a team perspective.
The Arsenal forward played a significant role in the Gunners' Premier League title-winning campaign back home, so his quality isn't in question. But at the World Cup, he's carrying the offensive load alone.
The End of an Era
Belgium's struggles at this tournament reflect a broader reality. The golden generation that peaked with a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia is fading. Eden Hazard is long retired. Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, while still involved in various capacities, are no longer the forces they once were.
That leaves Trossard. His brace bought Belgium time. Whether it's enough to turn the tournament around remains to be seen, but one player's heroics can only carry a team so far.
