Romelu Lukaku made a memorable return to international football on Tuesday, scoring in stoppage time as Belgium secured a 2-0 win over Croatia in a World Cup warm-up match in Rijeka.
The experienced striker, who had not featured for Belgium since September 2025 due to injury, came off the bench and capped his comeback with a goal in the 96th minute. The strike was his 90th for the national team and provided another boost for the Red Devils ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Lukaku’s return has been highly anticipated after a difficult season plagued by fitness issues. The 33-year-old Napoli forward has managed only 64 minutes of club football this campaign because of a lingering hip problem, making his successful comeback a positive sign for Belgium coach Rudi Garcia.
Belgium took control of the friendly before halftime through midfielder Youri Tielemans. The Aston Villa playmaker broke the deadlock in the 38th minute with a well-taken finish, giving the visitors a deserved lead heading into the break.
Croatia, who reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, fielded a strong lineup led by veteran captain Luka Modric. The Real Madrid midfielder wore a protective mask as he continues to recover from an injury but still produced Croatia’s best chance of the first half with a dangerous effort just before halftime.
The hosts pushed for an equaliser after the interval and came close when Osasuna striker Ante Budimir rattled the crossbar shortly before the hour mark. However, Croatia could not find a way past the Belgian defence.
As the match entered injury time, Belgium sealed the victory when Lukaku found the back of the net, putting the result beyond doubt and marking his international return in perfect fashion.
The victory serves as an encouraging step for Garcia’s side as they continue preparations for their World Cup opener against Egypt on June 15. Belgium will play one more warm-up fixture against Tunisia on Saturday before heading into the tournament.
Croatia will also have one final opportunity to fine-tune their preparations when they host Slovenia on Sunday. Zlatko Dalić’s men begin their World Cup campaign against England on June 17, aiming to build on their impressive performances from previous tournaments.
