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With the much-awaited European Championship set to commence from June 11, the no. 1 ranked team - Belgium have become the first nation to announce the squad for the mega-event. The star-studded squad features nine Premier League players including big names like Kevin de Bruyne and Toby Alderweireld. Apart from them, Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtouis and Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku are the other key players named in the squad.
Captain Eden Hazard keeps his place
There were a lot of question marks if Roberto Martinez will take the big decision of dropping their skipper Eden Hazard following his injury-hit campaign at Real Madrid. Putting all the rumours to rest, the manager has shown faith on the experienced winger who has made 106 appearances for Belgium since making his debut in 2008. Hazard has an incredible tally of 32 goals and 33 assists for his country and has played a big role in taking his side to the top of summit in world rankings.
Two key players miss out from the final squad
While there weren't any big surprises in the final squad, Liverpool's Divock Origi and Real Sociedad's Adnan Januzaj were the few notable absentees. While Origi has made 29 appearances for his country, Januzaj has also featured in 13 games. The duo has been a part of Belgium's side for a while but Roberto Martinez has opted for some fresh talent in the form of West Brom winger Leandro Trossard, who made his debut last year. The 26-year-old has been rewarded for his impressive performances in the Premier League this season.
Belgium's 26-member Squad for EURO 2020
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Matz Sels.
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld, Dedryck Boyata, Jason Denayer, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen.
Wing-backs: Yannick Carrasco, Timothy Castagne, Nacer Chadli, Thorgan Hazard, Thomas Meunier.
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Leander Dendoncker, Dennis Praet, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel.
Forwards: Jeremy Doku, Eden Hazard, Dries Martens, Leandro Trossard.
Strikers: Michy Batshuayi, Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku.