Belgium’s Senne Lammens has officially made his senior FIFA World Cup debut at the 2026 tournament, stepping onto the biggest stage in football as the Red Devils’ number one goalkeeper. For the 24-year-old, it caps a remarkable rise from a deadline-day transfer to Manchester United to starting between the posts at a World Cup in under a year.
From bargain signing to World Cup starter
Lammens joined Manchester United in September 2025 for a reported $25M transfer fee. At the time, it was considered a relatively modest outlay for a Premier League goalkeeper.
During the 2025/26 Premier League season, Lammens racked up 32 appearances, recording 8 clean sheets and 79 saves. Those numbers caught the eye of Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, who named him the primary goalkeeper in Belgium’s 26-man World Cup squad.
Born on July 7, 2002, Lammens only made his senior international debut in November 2025. Going from first cap to World Cup starter in roughly seven months is the kind of trajectory that makes scouts look like geniuses and makes the word “bargain” appear in every headline.
