De Cuyper had five shots (four on goal), three crosses (zero accurate) and one corner in Sunday's 0-0 draw against Iran.
Analysis:
De Cuyper was Belgium's most dangerous attacking presence in Sunday's goalless draw with Iran, registering five shots (four on target) and taking one corner across 90 minutes as the left-back who consistently drove forward and arrived late into dangerous positions throughout a match his side dominated with 23 total attempts. His best moment came in the second half when he connected powerfully with Kevin De Bruyne's cutback at point-blank range, only to be denied by an outstanding reflex save from Alireza Beiranvand in what was the closest Belgium came to breaking the deadlock all match. De Cuyper's ability to combine defensive solidity with attacking production from left-back makes him one of Belgium's most important players heading into the must-win Group G finale against New Zealand, where his delivery and late arrivals into the box will be a key weapon against a side that will likely sit deeper than Iran.
