Rangers’ Nicolas Raskin impressive performances at Ibrox helped him make his debut for Belgium last month.
The midfielder left Standard Liège for the Scottish club in 2023 and has been a regular for Rangers this season. To put it in context, he played 3,324 minutes from 42 games and managed two goals and seven assists in the process.
Raskin’s form for Rangers convinced Belgium manager Rudi Garcia to include him in the squad for March’s fixtures.
The 24-year-old has been speaking to RTBF on a few topics, including his desire to play for the national team at the 2026 World Cup and his future plans.
Raskin insists he will do everything he can to represent Belgium at the next World Cup.
“The 2026 World Cup has always been a goal since I started playing,” he said.
“You can ask my friends and family, I’ve been talking about it for a long time. At the time, I said to myself: ‘Now is not my time, but I have my sights set on the 2026 World Cup.’ I would like to be there, I will do everything to be there.
“It’s up to me to maintain a good enough level to be selected and to perform when I’m in the national team. It was a childhood dream. I followed the Devils in every competition they played in.”
On March 25th, Rangers technical director Nils Koppen backed his compatriot to have a bright future. A day later, Cyriel Dessers stated he remains confident that there will be interest in his Rangers teammate.
The Belgian’s contract at Ibrox lasts until 2027, but he talks about his desire to join a bigger club to play major tournaments.
“I’ve been here for two and a half years. It’s gone very well for me, especially this season. You have to see what the club wants, what comes on the table, and try to do the best for everyone. As a footballer, you always want to look ahead and see what you can do better,” Raskin explained.
“If you want to give yourself the best chance of playing in an international competition, you have to be able to compete at a big club. But the goal isn’t to go to a club where you’ll play less and lose that advantage of playing every week. It’s a balancing act that needs to be found.”
