Belgium’s World Cup campaign was circling the drain. Four consecutive matches without a goal across two World Cups will do that. Then Leandro Trossard decided he’d seen enough, putting two past New Zealand to drag his country back from the edge of elimination in Group G.
The Arsenal forward’s brace made him the first Belgian man to find the net at the 2026 tournament.
Breaking the silence
Belgium hadn’t scored at a World Cup since the 2022 edition in Qatar, where they crashed out in the group stage. Trossard’s two goals against New Zealand didn’t just keep Belgium mathematically alive. They broke a psychological seal that had been tightening with every passing minute of scoreless football.
Trossard has been Belgium’s most creative outlet throughout the group stage, creating a reported nine chances across the tournament, more than any other player in the group. His dribbling and ball recovery numbers have been consistently strong.
