A dispute between the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) and Sporting Lisbon has cast doubt over defender Zeno Debast's availability for Belgium's World Cup quarter-final match against Spain on Friday. Debast, 22, has not yet featured in the tournament after sustaining an injury late in the Portuguese domestic season.
While Debast returned to team training in late June and was considered a potential option for the knockout stages, his club, Sporting CP, has declared him medically unfit to play. This assessment contrasts with the views of Belgium's medical staff and FIFA's medical and insurance authorities, according to a statement released by the RBFA. The statement added that Debast is currently training individually under the supervision of the RBFA’s Performance Department.
The Athletic reported that daily communication has occurred between Sporting and the RBFA regarding Debast's fitness throughout the tournament. A meeting was reportedly scheduled in Los Angeles before Friday's match to review the situation.
Debast has earned 26 caps for Belgium and was part of the squad for the 2022 World Cup. He has been observed training alone and supporting his teammates during the current tournament.
Despite the potential absence of Debast, Belgium has remained undefeated in the World Cup. After topping their group, they secured a comeback victory against Senegal in the round of 32 and a 4-1 win over the USMNT in the round of 16.
Belgium manager Rudi Garcia acknowledged Spain as a favorite, noting their strong ball possession and established playing style. However, he expressed confidence in his team, highlighting their status as the second-highest scorers in the World Cup and their recent success against the U.S. Garcia stated that the team would focus on their own performance against Spain, emphasizing their determination to challenge the favored opponents.