Overview
The Belgian team will enter the final match of Group G of the 2026 World Cup with the determination not to be allowed to make more mistakes when facing New Zealand at BC Place (Vancouver).
Rudi Garcia's team has only won 2 points after 2 draws against Egypt and Iran, temporarily ranked third in Group G. However, self-determination is still in Belgium's hands, as a victory will help them secure a ticket to the round of 32. According to Opta supercomputer, Belgium still has 92% chance of going further.
What is worrying for the European representative is their ability to take advantage of opportunities. In the 0-0 draw against Iran, despite having to play with one less player after Nathan Ngoy's red card, Belgium still launched 23 shots but could not score. This is the most unsuccessful shots they have taken in a World Cup match since the confrontation with Saudi Arabia in 1994.
This problem has lasted throughout the last two World Cups. Since 2022, Belgium has only scored 2 goals in 5 matches at the World Cup, including an own goal by Mohamed Hany (Egypt). In fact, Michy Batshuayi is the only Belgian player to score from a finishing situation in this period, with a goal against Canada at the 2022 World Cup.
After that goal, Belgium went through a series of 69 consecutive shots that could not be converted into goals. Kevin De Bruyne is still the leader in attack when contributing to 40% of the team's shots (16 shots and 12 chances created).
However, Belgium still has the backbone of a 15-match unbeaten streak in all competitions (9 wins, 6 draws). Only once in history did they have a longer unbeaten streak, with 24 consecutive matches from September 2016 to July 2018 before being stopped by France at the World Cup.
Besides, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is also facing a memorable milestone. If he plays against New Zealand, he will have his 18th appearance at the World Cup, surpassing Enzo Scifo's record of 17 matches to become the Belgian player with the most appearances in the history of the tournament. Courtois has also had 8 clean sheets at the World Cup, only behind Peter Shilton and Fabien Barthez (both 10 matches).
In the opposite direction, New Zealand has only won 1 point after two matches and only has 8% chance of going further according to Opta's prediction. The representative of Oceania just lost to Egypt 1-3 despite being the team to open the score thanks to Finn Surman's header.
That is also a familiar scenario for New Zealand. They have taken the lead in 3 matches at the World Cup but have never won (2 draws, 1 loss). New Zealand became the second team in World Cup history not to win in the first 3 matches despite opening the score, after Bulgaria.
Coach Darren Bazeley is aiming for New Zealand's first victory at the World Cup, but the task will not be easy. After 8 matches at the biggest football festival on the planet, New Zealand still does not know the taste of victory (4 draws, 4 losses). Only Honduras has a longer winless streak with 9 matches.
Head-to-head record
This is the first time Belgium and New Zealand have faced each other in an official match.
However, the representative of Oceania is possessing a remarkable record when unbeaten in the last two encounters with European teams at the World Cup. At the 2010 World Cup, New Zealand drew with Slovakia and defending champion Italy with the same score of 1-1.
On the Belgian side, they are facing the risk of becoming the first European team since themselves at the 1998 World Cup to draw all 3 matches in the group stage if they continue to draw with New Zealand.
Score prediction: New Zealand 0-1 Belgium
The match between New Zealand and Belgium takes place at 10:00 AM on June 27 (Vietnam time).
