11 days to go! Lukaku selected in Belgium World Cup squad despite injury

June 21, 2021 file photo, Belgium's Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring a goal during theoir Euro 2020 soccer championship match against Finland at Saint Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Romelu Lukaku was selected in Belgium's 26-man squad for the World Cup on Thursday even though the striker is carrying a left thigh injury and has played only five games for Inter Milan this season.

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez has said he was prepared to call up Lukaku, the national team's record scorer with 68 goals, as long as he could play at least one game in the group stage.

Lukaku missed two months at the start of the season with a hamstring injury and then hurt his thigh two games into his comeback for Inter, where he is in a second spell after joining on loan from Chelsea.

Belgium is in Group F awith Canada, Morocco and Croatia.

Belgium World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Casteels, Courtois, Mignolet
Defenders: Alderweireld, Debast, Faes, Theate, Vertonghen, Castagne, Meunier
Midfielders: Carrasco, T. Hazard, De Bruyne, Dendoncker, Onana, Tielemans, Vanaken, Witsel
Forwards: De Ketelaere, Doku, E. Hazard, Mertens, Trossard, Batshuayi, Openda, Lukaku