RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Belgium center back Zeno Debast, who has not appeared in a World Cup match this summer due to injury, participated in his first training session of the tournament on Sunday.
Debast underwent a follow-up MRI scan on Saturday for a leg injury, which he said was “positive.” The 22-year-old defender injured his leg last month while training with Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon.
“Everything is going as planned,” Debast said. “So, we are positive. I feel good. Today, I can partially take part (in) the team training. So, yeah, it’s going good.”
Debast warmed up with the 26-man squad, then practiced on his own with a coach during the portion of Sunday’s training session that was open to the media. Without Debast, Belgium opened the group stage with two draws before a 5-1 victory over New Zealand on Friday night, to advance to the knockout round atop Group G.
“As a player, it is not easy to watch your team train and play without being able to participate,” Debast said in French. “But, I am grateful to be here and to be able to work on my return here."
Debast has 26 matches for Belgium and was on the 2022 World Cup roster in Qatar. It is unclear whether coach Rudi Garcia would insert Debast into the starting lineup whenever he is deemed fit to play.
During the French portion of his press conference, Debast said that he cannot pinpoint when he will return, nor does he want to put that pressure on himself.
“I want to be at 100%,” Debast said. “That’s the only way to help the team. If it were up to me, I’d already be on the field. I’m coming back from a tough season, with a few injuries.”
Belgium’s first knockout round game is on Wednesday in Seattle against Senegal, which is coming off a 5-0 rout of Iraq. Debast commended the Senegal side, which is led by Sadio Mane, but is confident in Belgium’s ability to advance.
“I think it will be a good game, one knowing that we also have the qualities,” Debast said in English. “If we are in good form and we continue in a positive way like our last game, I think it will be a very good game.”
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Belgium's Zeno Debast, right with Belgium's Alexis Saelemaekers, second right, and teammates on the pitch ahead of the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Egypt in Seattle, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
FILE - Sporting's Zeno Debast celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Sporting CP and Lille at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, file)
ATLANTA (AP) — Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar that poured a fortune into soccer and infrastructure experienced unceremonious exits from the World Cup, proving that big money doesn’t guarantee success on the sport's biggest stage.
Saudi Arabia is out at the earliest point. Again. Bottom of a group that included tiny Cape Verde, the third-smallest nation ever to compete on this stage and into the knockouts for the first time.
By signing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema as part of a spectacular recruitment drive in recent years, Saudi Arabia has been a major disruptor of club soccer. But on the international stage it still has a long way to go eight years out from hosting the World Cup in 2034.
Qatar, the host four years ago, is also on its way home after just three games, so too are the other gulf nations Iran and Iraq. Compared to the success of African teams at this World Cup, with nine out of 10 advancing to the round of 32, gulf nations are struggling mightily to make their mark.
A goalless draw against Cape Verde ended Saudi Arabia's hopes of advancing from the group phase for the first time since 1994.
“It was not what we wanted because when playing in such a match against a team that is more or less the same level as us, our performance was not good. So this gives rise to concern,” Saudi coach Georgios Donis said.
Qatar made history with its first point at a World Cup, scoring a dramatic late equalizer against Switzerland. But it was another disappointingly early exit after it was eliminated just two games into its home tournament in 2022.
“I think that they show that at least we were able to compete in these kind of matches,” coach Julen Lopetegui said.
The appointment of Lopetegui — the former Spain and Real Madrid coach — is evidence of the type of investment Qatar has made to try to boost its performance on the global stage. Unlike Saudi Arabia, it has not embarked on such an audacious drive to attract aging stars from Europe to its domestic league.
Despite a population of 3 million people and only around 300,000 citizens, it has managed to develop enough homegrown players to win back-to-back Asian Cups in recent years and assert its dominance on a region that includes powers like Japan and South Korea.
But it has not been able to translate those performances to the World Cup, and such an early exit marks a disappointment less than four years after hosting the tournament and spending billions of dollars to create eight state-of-the-art stadiums.
“You compare with other countries ... for sure we know who we are,” said Lopetegui. "But at the same time I think that this is one little country but with a big passion, a big investment ... we have to improve every day and they did this.
“We look to the future being optimistic about this for sure.”
It's all about the future for Saudi Arabia, too, after winning the right to host the World Cup in 2034.
It has been on a mission to wield influence in sports around the world, from buying Premier League Newcastle to launching LIV Golf and hosting world title boxing matches and Formula 1.
The World Cup would be its standout achievement as it looks to move away from its heavy reliance on oil and explore other revenue-generating sectors.
It will want its national team to make a statement at its home tournament and while superstar signings like Ronaldo have raised the profile of its league, the hope is that they will also raise standards.
Yet after pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history by beating eventual champion Argentina four years ago, there was no standout moment this time — failing to advance beyond the group phase for the sixth time in a row.
“When we have these stars in the Arabian League, I think that the more competitive the competition, the better our players will be,” said Donis. “But it’s different when we’re playing for the national team because in the national team, these experiences, there needs to be a certain mentality.”
Focus on development of homegrown talent is clear as 2034 approaches.
Star signings from overseas have slowed and some big names, including Neymar, have departed. U.S. Soccer’s sporting director Matt Crocker was lured away to head up talent development in Saudi Arabia and youth investment is said to have doubled over the past three years.
If Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been disruptors with their sudden mega spending, Iran has been competing in World Cups since 1978.
It had to contend with difficulties regarding preparation and travel in the wake of war with the United States and only narrowly missed out on advancing as a best third place team after three draws. In seven appearances at the World Cup it has never gone beyond the groups.
Likewise for Iraq in its two appearances 40 years apart.
At a time when a supersized 48-team World Cup has opportunities for the likes of Cape Verde and Congo to make history, gulf nations are still waiting for their moment.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (7) applauds the crowd as he warms-up before the World Cup Group K soccer match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Iran's Shoja Khalilzadeh (4) reacts at the end of the World Cup Group G soccer match between Egypt and Iran in Seattle, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Qatar's Almoez Ali reacts after his team's loss to Bosnia in the World Cup Group B soccer match in Seattle, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Saudi Arabia's Ali Lajami reacts to a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde after the World Cup Group H soccer match in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Saudi Arabia players react after the World Cup Group H soccer match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
