Red Devils land in Seattle as De Bruyne opens up on injury fear

Touchdown in Seattle

The Red Devils have landed. A 10-hour flight brought Belgium to Seattle on Monday, where the squad will base themselves for the World Cup. Kevin De Bruyne and company played cards to pass the time, while others slept (1) (5). About 30 American fans were waiting at the hotel to greet them, and Jérémy Doku handed out autographs (10). The team is staying at a four-star hotel with a state-of-the-art training complex that includes a cryo chamber (13).

De Bruyne: 'I was scared' after hamstring injury

Kevin De Bruyne has opened up about the fear he felt when his hamstring gave way again, two years after a similar injury. "At the beginning, I was scared," he admitted. But the playmaker now sounds confident: "I feel ready, and I'm convinced that after a couple of games I'll get back in shape and fully regain my form" (8). His rehabilitation was guided by renowned physio Lieven Maesschalck (8). Belgium's opener against Egypt is on June 15.

Family matters for KDB

De Bruyne also spoke about what matters most to him now. "I think I spent the first 23 years of my life too obsessed with football," he said. His wife and children will fly to the United States during the tournament. "I don't know what I'd do without my son" (3).

Origi hangs up his boots

Divock Origi has retired from football at 31. The former Liverpool cult hero, who scored crucial goals for club and country, steps away from the game after a career that included 32 caps for Belgium (7).

Fans expect a quarterfinal, nothing less

A major survey among Belgium supporters reveals the baseline expectation: the quarterfinals. Anything less and Rudi Garcia's side will have fallen short. Charles De Ketelaere was also singled out by fans as a player they want to see step up (6).

Documentary goes behind the scenes

VTM's new documentary 'The American Dream' is out now, following the Red Devils' World Cup preparations. It features Jeremy Doku, Toby Alderweireld, and head coach Rudi Garcia, with analysis from pundits Marc Degryse and Aster Nzeyimana. The doc even tackles the burning question: how important is a barber in the base camp? (11)