New Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola had plenty to take note of in yesterday's World Cup action with a number of players - including Alexander Isak and Virgil van Dijk - performing well on the big stage.

It feels a bit strange that he probably won't be paying attention to the performance of Egypt's Mohamed Salah this evening after the forward brought his nine-year career on Merseyside to a close at the end of the season.

Salah's future is yet to be decided or announced but one thing's for sure he is just as important as ever for his country.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport at Seattle Stadium

Lots of fans here getting in the mood before kick-off. There wasn’t much World Cup feel here in the USA in the days before the tournament got under way but that’s certainly not the case now.

I am also thrilled to see and hear the return of vuvuzelas.

The sound of them from South Africa 2010 still haunts my dreams.

They are banned from being inside the stadiums, external here though.

No question that Belgium had star power in the period between 2014-2022.

Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku, Vincent Kompany - all in their pomp.

But they never quite lived up to their promise that they would clinch a major trophy.

• 2014 World Cup - Quarter-finals
• 2016 Euros - Quarter-finals
• 2018 World Cup - Third
• 2020 Euros - Quarter-finals
• 2022 World Cup - Group stage
• 2024 Euros - last 16

Once the world's number one side, for around a decade Belgium were tipped to win something with their so-called 'golden generation'. They didn't manage to do that with their best result coming at Russia 2018 when they won the bronze medal match.

But that crop of players have gradually started to disappear with the likes of Eden Hazard and Vincent Kompany now retired.

Playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and striker Romelu Lukaku are some of the last ones standing of that generation of incredible players.

Is their life in this squad yet? Or is it time to say goodbye to the golden generation and hello to a new era?

Image source, Getty Images

Only Honduras (9 matches) have played more World Cup games than Egypt (7) without ever registering a victory.

The only time Egypt have ever led in a World Cup match was against Saudi Arabia in 2018, when Mohamed Salah scored the opening goal in a 2-1 defeat.

Despite winning the Africa Cup of Nations seven times, Egypt are still waiting for their first World Cup victory.

This is their fourth appearance at the tournament and the serial underachievers - on this stage at least - will be desperate to make it out of the groups for the first time ever.

With the expansion of the tournament this year it looks like one win would be enough to progress but that could be easier said than done for the Pharaohs.

Egypt will certainly be eyeing the World Cup success of other nations on their continent - namely Morocco - but just one win will surely be enough to send them into raptures.

Tonight's match against Belgium is arguably their toughest test with Iran and New Zealand their other Group G opponents.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport at Seattle Stadium

Here’s an example of a stadium equivalent of getting a big marker pen and scrubbing a word out. The stadium is currently just called ‘Field’ on its exterior, with the sponsor name covered in a black canopy.

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

This is the first of six games to be played at this stadium, which made headlines at last year’s Club World Cup when Paris St-Germain boss Luis Enrique complained that the “ball bounced like a rabbit” during a match there. A temporary grass pitch had been installed approximately 10 days before that tournament began and it dried out quickly because it was not deep enough to retain moisture.

The surface for the World Cup should be better. Work began in late February and was completed in mid-April, with a base layer of sand and other materials – around 12 inches deep – laid over the artificial turf. Sod was then placed on top, meaning keeping the pitch watered should not be an issue.

The stadium has a horseshoe-shaped design and is home to this year’s Super Bowl winners, the Seattle Seahawks, as well as MLS side Seattle Sounders and NWSL team Seattle Reign.

Image source, Getty Images

Kevin de Bruyne captains the side while Thibaut Courtois makes his 16th World Cup appearance, only one Belgian has ever made more, Enzo Scifo from 1986-98.

The keeper returned to the Belgium set up after two years away in March.

Belgium XI: Courtois, Castagne, Mechele, Ngoy, Meunier, Tielemans, Onana, Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku, De Ketelaere.

Free agent Mohamed Salah starts for Egypt.

Salah was both the top scorer (nine goals) and top assist provider (three) for Egypt during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

He was directly involved in 60% of his nation's goals.

Egypt XI: Shobeir, Fatouh, Fathy, Ibrahim, Hany, Attia, Lasheen, Zico, Ashour, Salah, Marmoush.

Welcome to match two on day five of the World Cup.

We're rattling through these group stage matches now and next up we've got a cracker as Belgium and Egypt get their Group G campaigns under way.

The location? Well, that is some setting.

Image source, Getty Images

Two Premier League greats meet again for what could be one last dance.

Kevin de Bruyne's Belgium and Mohamed Salah's Egypt take centre stage in Seattle this evening as Group G starts with a cracker.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images