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Attendance: 43,257
Belgium national football team
World Cup | Group Stage
Jun 18, 2018 at 4pm UK
 
Panama national football team

3-0

Mertens (47'), Lukaku (69', 75')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Roberto Martinez : 'Eden Hazard is ready'

Roberto Martinez : 'Eden Hazard is ready'
© Reuters
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez insists that playmaker Eden Hazard is "mentally ready" to face Panama in their opening World Cup game.

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that playmaker Eden Hazard is "mentally ready" to face Panama in their opening World Cup game.

Hazard took a knock in the Red Devils' final warm-up game against Costa Rica, which was described as a "dead leg" by his coach.

The Spanish boss told The Mirror that Hazard is fully fit and talked up his chances of delivering in Russia this summer.

"Eden's at a great moment in his career. He's the captain - and at a great age. He never finds it difficult to show for the ball," Martinez said. "You can never compare one player to another but in one-on-one situations he's as good as anyone in the world.

"He has had a great end to the season. He won a trophy and the semi-final and final at Wembley has prepared him perfectly. In our last two friendlies, he's looked really sharp.

"He has a great relationship with the players around him - and that allows him to influence greatly what goes on. He looks fresh and mentally ready."

Belgium face Tunisia on Saturday before meeting England next Thursday in their other Group G ties.

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The Belgium team line up before their friendly game with Portugal on June 2, 2018
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

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Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

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Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

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Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

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Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

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Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

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Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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