M. De Cuyper

Brighton · UEFA Nations League · Midfielder · #29 · Belgium · 25 yrs

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M. De Cuyper

Midfielder · #29

Legal name: Maxim De Cuyper
Age: 25
Nationality: Belgium
Height: 182
Weight: 72
Preferred foot: —
Injured: No
Current club: Brighton BRI

Player headlines

Is Lamine Yamal playing? Spain vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

worldsoccertalk.com · 2 weeks ago

Spain and Belgium face off in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, with a place in the semifinals on the line. The 2026 World Cup quarterfinals continue at Los Angeles Stadium, where Spain and Belgium clash in a crucial match as both look to book their place among the tournament’s final four teams. Spain stumbled into the tournament with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde, but have looked sharper with every match since, cruising to the top of Group H before thrashing Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 and edging out Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 on a late Mikel Merino strike. Much of the attention heading into Friday’s match falls on Lamine Yamal. The young forward has managed just a single goal through five appearances this tournament and will start today alongside Mikel Oyarzabal, who is leading the squad with four goals. Belgium, meanwhile, needed a dramatic turnaround to reach this stage, coming from behind to beat Senegal in extra time after topping Group G, before putting together their most complete performance of the tournament in a 4-1 rout of the USMNT to reach the quarterfinals. Charles De Ketelaere #17 of Belgium celebrates a goal vs the USMNT. (Getty Images) Spain’s confirmed lineup Luis de la Fuente will make only one change to the lineup that eliminated Portugal, opting to use midfielder Fabian Ruiz from the start, leaving Pedri on the substitutes’ bench. Spain’s confirmed starting XI: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri,Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Mikel Oyarzabal. Belgium’s confirmed lineup Rudi Garcia will lean once again on Belgium’s veteran core, with Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield with a front line built for pace and directness. Belgium’s confirmed starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Nathan Ngoy, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin; Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku; Charles De Ketelaere.

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Belgium players say they will need ‘balls’ to nullify home crowd against US

sports.yahoo.com · 3 weeks ago

A raucous, pro-US crowd is expected in Seattle for the Americans’ last-16 match against Belgium on Monday, but the Red Devils say that they don’t fear the atmosphere that will await them. “I think we just have to … show balls on the pitch,” left-back Maxim De Cuyper said on Friday. The Americans have enjoyed strong support from home crowds throughout the tournament, including in Seattle, where just under 67,000 watched the US defeat Australia in their second group game.

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Belgium players say they will need ‘balls’ to nullify home crowd against US

theguardian.com · 3 weeks ago

Belgium play Americans in the last-16 on MondayUS have enjoyed strong support at home at the World CupA raucous, pro-US crowd is expected in Seattle for the Americans’ last-16 match against Belgium on Monday, but the Red Devils say that they don’t fear the atmosphere that will await them.“I think we just have to … show balls on the pitch,” left-back Maxim De Cuyper said on Friday. “Try to play your own game. If you play against 80,000 supporters or with 80,000, you have to try to do the same.” Continue reading...

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Is Jeremy Doku playing? Belgium vs Senegal confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

worldsoccertalk.com · 3 weeks ago

With Belgium clashing for a ticket to the Round of 16 against Senegal, questions rose over the presence of Jeremy Doku in the heated World Cup game. Belgium and Senegal are set to collide on Wednesday, July 1st, in a high-stakes Round of 32 clash at the 2026 World Cup at Seattle Stadium. After the young winger temporarily stepped away from the national team camp, fans have been buzzing with questions regarding whether Jeremy Doku would return straight to the starting lineup for the Red Devils. Doku has officially been named to the starting XI to face Senegal in this crucial knockout match. After briefly leaving the team’s base camp to attend the birth of his son (which caused him to miss the group-stage match against Iran), the Manchester City winger made a seamless return to action against New Zealand and is now in peak physical condition to anchor the attack against the African powerhouse. Belgium enters the knockout rounds after snapping a frustrating streak of three consecutive World Cup draws (dating back to a scoreless stalemate with Croatia in 2022) by securing a dominant 5-1 blowout over New Zealand. By locking up the top spot in Group G with five points, the Red Devils are now desperate to erase a recent winless funk against African opposition, having previously fallen to Morocco 2-0 and settling for a 1-1 draw against Egypt earlier in this tournament. On the other side of the pitch, Senegal scraped into the knockout bracket by securing the final wild-card spot among the top third-place finishers, surviving the group phase with just three points. After opening their campaign with highly competitive 3-1 and 3-2 losses to France and Norway respectively, a resounding 5-0 clinical destruction of Iraq threw a much-needed lifeline to the Lions of Teranga, who are making the most of their fourth World Cup appearance in national history. Ben Old of New Zealand competes for the ball with Jeremy Doku of Belgium. A historic, first-ever meeting between two powerhouse nations Despite both programs consistently ranking among the top 20 nations in the world over the last decade, Belgium and Senegal have remarkably never crossed paths on the soccer pitch, not even in an international friendly. This means that tonight’s high-stakes Round of 32 battle will mark the first time these two teams have ever shared a field, opening up a brand-new head-to-head chapter on the sport’s grandest stage. Confirmed lineups for Belgium and Senegal Belgium’s confirmed lineups (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Arthur Theate, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Kevin De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans; Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku.Head coach: Rudi Garcia. Senegal’s confirmed lineups (4-2-3-1): Mory Diaw; Krepin Diatta, Pathe Ciss, Moussa Niakhate, Ismail Jakobs; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Habib Diarra, Pape Gueye; Iliman Ndiaye,Ismaila Sarr, Sadio Mane.Head coach: Pape Thiaw.

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Is Jeremy Doku playing? New Zealand vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup Group G game

worldsoccertalk.com · 4 weeks ago

New Zealand and Belgium clash in a decisive 2026 World Cup match, with both nations looking for a spot in the Round of 32. The stakes could not be higher at Vancouver Stadium as New Zealand and Belgium face off in their final Group G fixture. Both nations enter this crucial 2026 World Cup Matchday 3 showdown with possibilities of securing their place in the Round of 32. New Zealand have shown plenty of fight without much reward, opening the tournament with a 2-2 draw against Iran before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Egypt. That result leaves the All Whites bottom of the group on just one point, meaning Darren Bazeley’s side face the biggest match in their World Cup history. For Belgium, the path has been frustratingly stagnant rather than disastrous. The Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw by Egypt before a second straight stalemate, this time a goalless draw against Iran, leaving Rudi Garcia’s men on two points and in need of three more to guarantee qualification out of Group G. For this crucial game, Jeremy Doku will be back in the starting team. The Manchester City winger briefly left the Belgium camp earlier in the tournament for the birth of his first child but has since rejoined the squad. Jeremy Doku of Belgium during the game vs Iran. (Getty Images) New Zealand confirmed lineup The only doubt for Darren Bazeley comes at left-back, where Liberato Cacace has not completed a full 90 minutes since returning from a long injury layoff, leaving the door open for Ben Old or Francis de Vries to come in. New Zealand’s confirmed starting XI: Max Crocombe; Tim Payne, Finn Surman, Tyler Bindon, Liberato Cacace; Joe Bell, Marko Stamenic; Ryan Thomas, Sarpreet Singh, Elijah Just; Chris Wood. Belgium confirmed lineup Garcia is forced into at least one change at the back, with Nathan Ngoy suspended after picking up a red card against Iran. Zeno Debast would ordinarily be the natural replacement, but fitness concerns mean Arthur Theate is instead tipped to slot in at center back. Belgium’s confirmed starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Arthur Theate, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Youri Tielemans; Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku; Charles De Ketelaere.

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Why does Egypt have players named Ziko and Trezeguet? The story behind the World Cup nicknames

worldsoccertalk.com · last month

Throughout history, Egypt have been one of the most competitive national teams in Africa. However, their stars have names such as Ziko or Trezeguet, which demonstrate influences from soccer powerhouses in their development. Egypt have remained one of the most competitive national teams in Africa. Led by Mohamed Salah, they have managed to be protagonists, reaching the final stages of the African Cup of Nations. Although their main star is already 34 years old, they still maintain numerous talents in their squad. However, several of them have well-known names such as Ziko or Trezeguet, clearly reflecting their influence from soccer powerhouses in their development. In the 2026 World Cup roster of Hossam Hassan, Mahmoud Hassan, Trézéguet, Nabil Emad Dunga, and Mostafa Zaki Abdelraouf (Ziko) are an essential part of Egypt’s project. Their names are reminiscent of the legends David Trézéguet, Carlos Caetano Bledorn (Dunga), and Arthur Antunes Coimbra (Zico). However, none of the Egyptian stars officially carry these surnames in their names, so these are presented as a tribute. Badr Ragab, Mahmoud Hassan’s coach, revealed to AFP that the nickname ‘Trézéguet’ was his idea. “From his first days… I noticed (Hassan’s) resemblance to Trézéguet, both in appearance and playing style… He was strong in the air and scored goals in a similar way, so I gave him the name. I never imagined it would stay with him for so long,” he revealed. In the same way, Dunga’s nickname was born. In the same way, Mostafa Zaki’s brother revealed that the nickname ‘Ziko’ emerged because of him, as he used to be named ‘Ziko’ while playing professional soccer. “When Mostafa started playing, coaches called him ‘little Zico’ because he was my younger brother,” he revealed, via AFP. Being 29 years old, he keeps his nickname, playing at Pyramids FC and Egypt, showcasing the inspiration in the Brazilian legend. Mostafa Zico #11 of Egypt is challenged by Maxim De Cuyper #5 of Belgium. Pavel Nedved and David Beckham inspire Egyptian League players Despite only Mahmoud Trézéguet, Mostafa Ziko, and Nabil Emad Dunga being in the Egyptian national team, in the Egyptian League there remain some names that recall soccer legends such as Pavel Nedvěd, and David Beckham, who have not yet reached the national team. Karim Walid, known as Karim Nedved, is one of the stars of Cleopatra FC in the Egyptian Premier League, who played for Egypt U-23. As happened with Mahmoud Hassan, the same coach who gave the nickname “Trézéguet” supposedly gave him the nickname at the Al-Ahly academy. Similarly, Ahmed Ramadan from Al-Ahly emerges, who plays under the nickname David Beckham.

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Belgium v Iran LIVE: Red Devils held by Iran after Nathan Ngoy red card and Alireza Beiranvand heroics

independent.co.uk · last month

Alireza Beiranvand denied Maxim De Cuyper from barely four yards to leave the Red Devils with just two points from two games in Group G

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Iran’s Beiranvand denies 10-man Belgium in World Cup draw as Nathan Ngoy sees red

theguardian.com · last month

There was simply no debate over the moment of the match and it is one that Iran will cherish, even more so if they are to progress to the World Cup knockout stages for the first time. Every angle of Alireza Beiranvand’s preposterous save to prevent Belgium taking the lead approaching the hour added to the miraculousness of it all. Perhaps the most ludicrous element was that Beiranvand appeared to have been eliminated from the game when the ball dropped at the feet of Maxim De Cuyper inside the six-yard box, the goal gaping. Yet, while scrambling on the turf after seesawing to his left in an attempt to intercept Kevin De Bruyne’s rolled cross, Beiranvand stuck out a strong left hand to shut the door in the face of De Cuyper, before smothering the ball.Presumably, given this summer’s apparent appetite for a goalkeeping cult hero, this all means Beiranvand’s following might now increase tenfold, though as Iran’s longtime No 1 who saved Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty at the 2018 World Cup, he is no unknown. Just ask Vozinha and Eloy Room how their outstanding performances for Cape Verde and Curaçao respectively have done wonders for their profile. At 33, Beiranvand is a youngster compared to those guys. Continue reading...

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Is Kevin De Bruyne playing? Belgium vs Iran confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

worldsoccertalk.com · last month

Is Kevin De Bruyne starting today? Check out the confirmed official lineups for Belgium vs Iran in this crucial 2026 World Cup Group G clash. Kevin De Bruyne is officially starting and will captain Belgium today. Following intense speculation over his tactical deployment, head coach Rudi Garcia has named the Manchester City playmaker in his standard central attacking role to drive the team forward at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. With the 2026 World Cup Group G entirely up for grabs following a pair of opening-round draws, the structural setup of both teams reflects a high-stakes tactical battle. Belgium has altered their frontline to add physical reinforcement, while Iran has rolled out an extremely compact, defensive unit designed to crowd out midfield spaces and hit hard on the counter-attack. However, Rudi Garcia’s side will be without one of its main attacking threats, as Jeremy Doku has been ruled out of the match. The Manchester City winger was left out of the squad due to a recurring respiratory infection. Belgium lineup Rudi Garcia has made significant changes to the squad that labored to a 1-1 opening draw against Egypt, most notably handing Romelu Lukaku a starting spot after his dynamic second-half cameo rescued a point in Matchday 1. Thibaut Courtois lines up between the posts. The back four features Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, and Maxim De Cuyper. In the midfield, Nicolas Raskin and Alexis Saelemaekers flank Youri Tielemans to form a robust shield just behind De Bruyne. Up front, Leandro Trossard pairs with Lukaku to form a highly physical, technical attacking front line. Belgium Starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper; Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Alexis Saelemaekers, Kevin De Bruyne; Leandro Trossard, Romelu Lukaku. Iran lineup Coach Amir Ghalenoei has trusted a highly organized defensive framework to contain Belgium’s passing angles, banking on the stability that earned them a 2-2 draw with New Zealand. Alireza Beiranvand starts in goal. The back five features Saleh Hardani, Ehsan Hajisafi, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanani, and Ali Nemati, giving them a broad wall to defend the penalty area. Ramin Rezaeian takes a versatile wide position. Saeid Ezatolahi and Saman Ghoddos anchor the central lanes, freeing up Mohammad Mohebbi to link up with lone target man Mehdi Taremi in transition. Iran Starting XI: Alireza Beiranvand; Saleh Hardani, Ehsan Hajisafi, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanani, Ali Nemati, Ramin Rezaeian; Saeid Ezatolahi, Mohammad Mohebbi, Saman Ghoddos; Mehdi Taremi.

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M. De Cuyper

M. De Cuyper

Player headlines

Is Lamine Yamal playing? Spain vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

Belgium players say they will need ‘balls’ to nullify home crowd against US

Belgium players say they will need ‘balls’ to nullify home crowd against US

Is Jeremy Doku playing? Belgium vs Senegal confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

Is Jeremy Doku playing? New Zealand vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup Group G game

Why does Egypt have players named Ziko and Trezeguet? The story behind the World Cup nicknames

Belgium v Iran LIVE: Red Devils held by Iran after Nathan Ngoy red card and Alireza Beiranvand heroics

Iran’s Beiranvand denies 10-man Belgium in World Cup draw as Nathan Ngoy sees red

Is Kevin De Bruyne playing? Belgium vs Iran confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

Player headlines

Is Lamine Yamal playing? Spain vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

Belgium players say they will need ‘balls’ to nullify home crowd against US

Belgium players say they will need ‘balls’ to nullify home crowd against US

Is Jeremy Doku playing? Belgium vs Senegal confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game

Is Jeremy Doku playing? New Zealand vs Belgium confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup Group G game

Why does Egypt have players named Ziko and Trezeguet? The story behind the World Cup nicknames

Belgium v Iran LIVE: Red Devils held by Iran after Nathan Ngoy red card and Alireza Beiranvand heroics

Iran’s Beiranvand denies 10-man Belgium in World Cup draw as Nathan Ngoy sees red

Is Kevin De Bruyne playing? Belgium vs Iran confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup game