Overview

• Rudi Garcia announced the decision at a pre-match press conference on the eve of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Liechtenstein.
• The appointment ends Garcia’s early rotation of captains, which had included Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thomas Meunier and Tielemans.
• Garcia emphasized that senior figures such as De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Lukaku will continue to play key leadership roles.
• Tielemans called the role a great honor and said accepting the armband would not change his personality or approach.
• Garcia described Tielemans as a bridge between Belgium’s established core and younger players as the team sets its tone for the qualifying campaign.