Belgium WAGs at the World Cup 2026: Meet the women behind the Red Devils

Belgium arrive at the World Cup 2026 powered by Kevin De Bruyne’s farewell tour and a squad brimming with Premier League talent. However, the women connected to the Red Devils carry their own extraordinary stories.

From an Israeli model who served in the Navy before becoming one of football’s most glamorous wives, to a newlywed expecting her first child, here are the five most compelling WAG stories heading to the World Cup with Belgium this summer.

Michele Lacroix: The woman who healed De Bruyne

Some love stories begin in flowers and candlelight. Michele Lacroix and Kevin De Bruyne’s began with a tweet. In 2013, she liked a post of his from a Werder Bremen match. De Bruyne, too shy to message himself, got a friend to slide into her DMs. She replied.

Subsequently, they started dating in 2014, and by 2016 he proposed to her beneath the Eiffel Tower. They then married in Sorrento, Italy, in June 2017. Together, they have three children: Mason, Rome and Suri. Moreover, the backstory gives the romance its full meaning.

Before Michele, De Bruyne’s girlfriend had cheated on him with his Belgium teammate Thibaut Courtois: a scandal that rocked the Belgian dressing room. Michele, therefore, didn’t just win his heart. She restored his faith entirely.

Mishel Gerzig: The Israeli navy commander who became a WAG

Thibaut Courtois met his wife in the most modern way possible, he slid into her Instagram DMs after commenting on a photo of her dog. However, Mishel Gerzig is far from a typical social media personality. Born in Tel Aviv, she began modelling professionally at 13.

Then, at 18, she paused her career to serve in the Israeli Defence Forces, as a commander of a search and rescue ship in the Navy. “It was a very intense role, physically and mentally,” she said. “I felt like it fulfilled me.” After completing her service, she returned to modelling.

She and Courtois married in Cannes in June 2023, honeymooning in Bora Bora, and consequently welcomed their daughter Ellie in 2024. Furthermore, eagle-eyed Belgium fans will note the elephant in the room but KdB and Courtois are back to being friends now.

Laura Hilven: Leandro Trossard’s ex-wife who handled heartbreak with class

Not every WAG story has a fairytale ending. Laura Hilven and Leandro Trossard were together for nearly 13 years: married since 2019, two children, Arsenal fans who adored her at every game. Then, in May 2026, she confirmed what fans had already begun to suspect.

She had quietly stopped wearing her wedding ring in December. She had removed every photo of Trossard from her Instagram. Finally, on 13 May, she posted a statement that stopped the Gunners in their tracks: “We have made the incredibly difficult decision to separate amicably.”

Nevertheless, she stressed their shared commitment to co-parenting and asked simply for “compassion, understanding, and privacy.” Trossard, meanwhile, responded on the pitch scoring the decisive goal in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over West Ham days later.

Shireen Doku: The Croydon beauty expert expecting Belgium’s luckiest baby

Jeremy Doku and Shireen Raymond packed an extraordinary amount into twelve months. In August’ 25, Doku proposed to her during a Dubai getaway dropping to one knee and saying: “You’re my girlfriend, but I don’t want you to stay my girlfriend.” She said yes instantly.

Then, in September, they were baptised together on the same day: the morning after City’s Manchester derby win. Subsequently, they married in a private ceremony in November 2025. By March 2026, Shireen revealed they were expecting a baby boy.

She posted a black-and-white mirror selfie, one hand on her bare bump, captioned simply: “boy mom.” A UK-based beauty expert originally from Croydon, Shireen arrives at this World Cup newly married, visibly glowing and expecting her first child.

Rafaella Szabo Witsel: The photographer who forgave everything

Rafaella Szabo Witsel’s story is, above all else, one of resilience. She and Axel Witsel began dating in 2008 and built a life together through Zenit, Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, and now Girona. However, their path was not smooth.

In 2013, Witsel had a widely reported affair with Analicia Chaves, the former girlfriend of Karim Benzema. Rafaella chose to stay. They married in 2015 and have since raised three children together: daughters Mai-Li and Evy, and a son.

A professional photographer and Insta star in her own right, Rafaella has documented their family life across four countries and more than a decade of professional football. She arrives at the World Cup not merely as a WAG, but as a woman who chose her marriage, twice.