Axel Witsel

Belgium MID

Age

Appearances

Goals

About Axel Witsel

At 37 and with 136 senior caps, Axel Witsel is one of the most experienced players in Belgium's squad for the 2026 World Cup, named in Rudi Garcia's final 26 alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Amadou Onana and Nicolas Raskin. The Girona midfielder is a deep-lying player who can also fill in at centre-back, and he heads into his fourth World Cup after 2014, 2018 and 2022, with 12 international goals on his record.

World Cup 2026 Stats

Appearances

Minutes played

Goals

Assists

Key passes

Accuracy

Playing Style

Witsel is a deep-lying defensive midfielder who screens the back four, recycles possession and sets the tempo from in front of the defence, with the positional discipline of a player into his fourth World Cup. He reads danger early, steps in to break up attacks, and keeps the ball moving with short and medium passing. His experience lets him drop into central defence when Belgium need an extra body at the back.

World Cup History

Witsel has been part of Belgium squads at three previous World Cups: Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. The 2026 tournament is his fourth senior World Cup, this time under Rudi Garcia. Belgium qualified by winning UEFA Group J on 18 November 2025.

Belgium face Egypt, Iran and New Zealand in Group G, opening against Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle on 15 June. Rudi Garcia's side won UEFA Group J to qualify on 18 November 2025.

National Team

Belgium

Tier 2 £24m

Goal Rush Impact

Belgium are one of the Tier 2 team picks on the Goal Rush card at £24m, inside the game's £200m card budget. The Group G fixtures against Egypt, Iran and New Zealand frame the early matchdays for a second-band selection.

Witsel's part of that profile is the deep-lying screen: cover in front of the back four, ball recoveries, and 136 caps of know-how across four World Cups. The big question is whether Rudi Garcia starts him in the holding role.

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Witsel at the 2026 World Cup

Witsel is a confirmed midfielder in Rudi Garcia's 26-man Belgium squad for the 2026 World Cup, named in the final 26 alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana and the rest of the midfield group. At 37 it is his fourth senior World Cup after 2014, 2018 and 2022, and he brings 136 caps into a Belgium side that opens its Group G campaign against Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle on 15 June.

Picking Belgium in Goal Rush

Belgium are a Tier 2 team on the Goal Rush card at £24m within the game's £200m card budget. For Witsel, the matchday signal is whether Rudi Garcia uses him in the holding midfield role, where his screening and 136-cap experience feed the team pick.

Axel Witsel World Cup 2026 FAQs

Witsel plays for Belgium, a Tier 2 Goal Rush team at £24m per slot within the game's £200m card budget. Watch the teamsheet: his deep-lying midfield role, screening in front of the defence, is where his experience matters to the team pick.

Witsel is a defensive midfielder. He is a deep-lying screen in front of the back four, known for positional discipline, ball recoveries and tempo from deep, and can also drop into central defence for Belgium.

Witsel has 136 caps for Belgium with 12 international goals as of 1 April 2026. He is named in Rudi Garcia's final 26 for the 2026 World Cup, heading into his fourth senior World Cup after 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Witsel plays for Girona in Spain.

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