Charles De Ketelaere
BEL
Likely starter up front for Belgium
De Ketelaere shapes up as one of the most exciting attacking options in Belgium's World Cup squad, having been named by coach Rudi Garcia as an expected starter at the tip of the attack heading into the summer tournament.
Analysis: De Ketelaere delivered one of his finest seasons to date with Atalanta, contributing five goals and seven assists alongside 85 key passes and 61 crosses across 39 appearances including 33 starts, cementing his status as one of the more complete attacking midfielders in Serie A. His elegance on the ball, intelligent movement and rare versatility make him a nightmare to pin down defensively, with the ability to operate as a false nine, in behind the striker or from wide positions depending on the tactical demands of any given match. At international level, De Ketelaere has progressively established himself as one of the most reliable creative outlets in the Belgian attack, combining seamlessly with Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku to form one of the more dynamic and technically gifted attacking units at the entire tournament. His capacity to combine with teammates in tight spaces, arrive late into the box and produce moments of individual quality in crucial moments gives Belgium a genuinely unpredictable edge going forward. With Romelu Lukaku likely to begin the tournament from the bench, De Ketelaere's ability to lead the line intelligently and bring others into play will be one of the defining factors in how far the Red Devils can go this summer.
Creates three chances versus Genoa
De Ketelaere had two shots (one on goal), two crosses (two accurate) and one corner and created three scoring chances in Saturday's 0-0 draw versus Genoa.
Analysis: De Ketelaere bounced back from a pair of quiet displays, but his teammates didn't capitalize on his feeds. He has notched two assists, in the same game, in his last five outings, recording also 13 key passes, nine shots (two on target) and three crosses (all accurate).
Struggles in Cagliari meeting
De Ketelaere had one off-target shot and one clearance and drew one foul in 77 minutes in Monday's 3-2 loss to Cagliari.
Analysis: De Ketelaere laid an egg in this one and was outplayed by Lazar Samardzic off the bench. His role is unlikely to be at risk, though. He has started in six rounds on the trot, providing two assists and notching 13 chances created, two crosses (both accurate) and seven shots (one on target) over that span.
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