Philippe Albert unveils his ideal eleven for Belgium against Italy

In the Sudinfo studio, consultant Philippe Albert presents, amid the muffled noise of the microphones, his ideal eleven for Belgium, which will face Italy this Friday evening. The former Red Devil, aged 35, stresses the need for tactical balance to start the Nations League with a positive result.

A clearly defined 4‑3‑3 formation

The former international presented a 4‑3‑3 setup, with Senne Lammens between the posts. In defense, he selected Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele and Joaquin Seys, arguing that the first three speak for themselves after their performances in the United States, while Seys replaces Maxim De Cuyper, now further up at Brighton.

In midfield, Albert shows no hesitation: Kevin De Bruyne will occupy his usual role as the orchestrator, supported by Nicolas Raskin and captain Youri Tielemans, forming a sweeping 6 and a creative 8, according to him.

Attackers chosen with caution

Up front, the consultant puts Diego Moreira on the left, highlighting his “ready to blaze” after his adaptation at AC Milan. On the right, Dodi Lukebakio will start, while the centre‑forward will be Charles De Ketelaere, valued for his aerial game and his ability to stand out, especially given Romelu Lukaku’s situation at Fenerbahçe.

Albert also reminded that, despite doubts, he would remain categorical on certain positions, notably the goalkeeper, stating: “I would go with Senne Lammens even if he still concedes too many goals with Manchester United.” He added that the choice of the three centre‑backs “speaks for itself.”

The prospective manager, Mark van Bommel, will therefore have to decide among these proposals to assemble the starting eleven. Belgium, eager to begin its Nations League campaign with a win, is counting on this setup to contain Italy.