Belgium has secured the international future of rising attacker Matías Fernández-Pardo, who has decided to represent the Red Devils instead of Spain or Italy, according to an announcement by the Belgian Football Federation on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old, born in Brussels to Italian and Spanish parents, had previously played for Belgium at youth levels. In 2024, he briefly switched allegiance to Spain but did not attend subsequent call-ups for the Under-20 or Under-21 teams.
Fernández-Pardo has impressed this season with Lille, currently third in Ligue 1 and on track for Champions League qualification. His form has made him a potential option in attack, a position of concern for Belgium.
Record scorer Romelu Lukaku has struggled with injuries and limited minutes at Napoli, while Lois Openda has seen little playing time at Juventus. This prompted the Belgian federation to approach Fernández-Pardo.
“Choosing Belgium was not easy because I feel a very strong connection to both Belgium and Spain,” Fernández-Pardo said in a statement. “Positive and sincere conversations with coach Rudi García and technical director Vincent Mannaert were decisive. Also, sharing a dressing room with my teammates Thomas Meunier and Nathan Ngoy at Lille strengthened my choice. They helped cement this feeling, both on and off the pitch. I am very happy to fully commit to the Belgian national team.”
García will announce Belgium’s 26-man squad for the World Cup on Friday. The team will face Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand in the group stage of the tournament, which takes place next month in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
