With just two days remaining before Belgium’s World Cup opener against Egypt, head coach Rudi Garcia has taken security to a new level. According to Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad, Garcia has ordered the installation of giant isolation curtains around the national team’s training pitch—a move driven by an extreme fear of espionage.
The decision came after a tense discovery earlier this week. The coaching staff determined that standard-issue covers placed around the training facility did not provide sufficient privacy, and that technical details of team preparations could potentially be observed from the outside. The privacy screens were swiftly replaced and reinforced to ensure that sessions now take place in total secrecy, completely out of sight of any onlookers. In a final step, security personnel have been placed on 24-hour duty around the perimeter of the training facility to deter any unauthorized approaches.
“The decision aims to preserve the secrecy of technical preparations and tactical layouts ahead of the highly anticipated Group G opener,” Nieuwsblad reported. The newspaper added that the current security protocol makes it “virtually impossible” to see anything happening inside the Belgian camp, effectively thwarting any espionage attempts by “Egyptian spies”.
This extreme case of “spy phobia,” as described by Egyptian media, comes at a critical moment for the Red Devils. Ranked ninth in the world by FIFA, Belgium are seeking to recover from a group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup and a round of 16 elimination at Euro 2024. Garcia took charge in January 2025, and has since overseen a gradual renewal of the squad. While veterans Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Thibaut Courtois remain pillars of the team, the manager has integrated a younger core led by Jérémy Doku, Amadou Onana, and Charles De Ketelaere.
The tactical approach for Monday’s match has been the subject of intense speculation. Garcia has experimented with various systems in recent friendlies, including a 3‑5‑2 and a 5‑3‑2, but has publicly stated his preference for a four-man backline. Regardless of the final formation, the objective is clear: to secure a fast start to the tournament.
Adding to the pressure, the last meeting between the two sides saw Egypt claim a 2‑1 victory in a November 2022 friendly, and Garcia will come face to face with his former AS Roma protégé, Mohamed Salah. Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois reinforced the danger posed by Egypt, describing them as “our toughest opponent” in Group G and warning that “they can harm us with their counter‑attacks”.
The match is scheduled for Monday at Lumen Field in Seattle at 8:00 p.m. local time, and it represents a crucial test for a Belgian team eager to prove that they are still among the global elite.
Additional Context: Belgium are not alone in their extreme security measures during this World Cup. The English national team, for example, has transformed its training base in Kansas into a “virtual fortress” by surrounding it with concrete barriers and large privacy screens, and has also enforced a strict no-fly zone to counter surveillance by drones and other spying attempts.
