Napoli forward Romelu Lukaku has opted out of Belgium’s upcoming friendlies in the United States in order to focus on improving his fitness.
Due to a hamstring injury, Lukaku has missed several months of action and has seen limited playtime with his club. The Belgian national team announced on Tuesday that he will take advantage of the international break to prioritize his conditioning.
Additionally, Belgium has confirmed that both Club Brugge midfielder Hans Vanaken and Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard will also miss the matches due to injuries.
Belgium is set to face the United States in Atlanta on Saturday, followed by a match against Mexico in Chicago three days later.
The World Cup is scheduled to commence in June.
The U.S. and Mexico will also compete against Portugal during this international period, although Cristiano Ronaldo, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, will not be participating.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.