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Injury-hit Romelu Lukaku included in Belgium’s World Cup squad for the fourth time

By The Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — Romelu Lukaku’s efforts to recover from injuries seem to have paid off after the Napoli striker was included in Belgium’s World Cup squad Friday.

Lukaku, midfield great Kevin de Bruyne and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are set to play their fourth World Cup campaigns.

Lukaku has 124 games for Belgium, de Bruyne 117 and Courtois 107, making them some of the most experienced players on any team at the World Cup. They all trail 37-year-old defensive midfielder Axel Witsel, also heading into a fourth tournament. He has played for Belgium 136 times.

Lukaku hasn’t played for Belgium in almost a year since scoring against Wales in World Cup qualifying in June. Injuries have limited the 33-year-old striker to just five Serie A games for Napoli this season.

He was selected for Belgium’s most recent friendlies in March and April but withdrew from the squad over more fitness concerns.

Courtois’ last game for the national team was in October and he was left out of Belgium’s most recent squad over injury issues, but he’s been a key player for Real Madrid this season. Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard and Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku bring Premier League experience up front.

Coach Rudi Garcia hasn’t selected 17-year-old midfielder Nathan de Cat, who would have been one of the youngest players at the World Cup. De Cat made his Belgium debut in a 5-2 win over the United States in March. Forward Lois Openda also misses out after spending much of the last few months on the Juventus bench.

Belgium starts its World Cup campaign in Group G against Egypt on June 15 before facing Iran six days later and New Zealand on June 27. Belgium placed third at the 2018 World Cup but is looking to improve on a group-stage exit in 2022.

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Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders.

Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno Debast, Maxim de Cupyer, Koni de Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate.

Midfielders: Kevin de Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel.

Forwards: Charles de Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

By WTOP Staff
▶ Watch Video: Inside look at security preparations for World Cup Forty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.The rescue operations were carried out between June 11 and July 19 by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals."The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners," said Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit.Those rescued, largely the victims of sex trafficking, are now being supported with an array of social services for the victims, including food, housing and counseling.The 87 operations carried out during the World Cup have generated new leads, officials said, and law enforcement agencies are building more cases based on the investigations already underway."We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations," an NYPD official told CBS News.Major sporting events are known to law enforcement as hotbeds of human trafficking.Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the World Cup. Eight matches were played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, including the final on Sunday."When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry," Marcus said. "Whether they're on parole or probation for human trafficking, we visited them to make sure they're compliant with the terms of their release, and secondly, to let them know that the NYPD is watching."The matches were held in multiple cities around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Preparations to secure those games and prepare for crimes like human trafficking were coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.Police departments in many locations that hosted World Cup matches have made arrests and rescues connected to human trafficking, including in Georgia, New England and Missouri. Nationally, there were more than 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges made during the World Cup, and 61 adults and 13 minors rescued, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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