Rangers Midfielder Nico Raskin Earns First Belgium Call-Up
A few weeks ago, Thierry Raskin, father of Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin, voiced his belief that his son deserved a chance in the Belgium national team. Now, Rudi Garcia appears to share that sentiment.
The former manager of Lyon, Lille, Marseille, and Roma is gearing up for Belgium’s UEFA Nations League double-header against Ukraine in March. Garcia, who recently succeeded Domenico Tedesco as head coach of the Red Devils, will not be the only new face representing Belgium next Thursday.
Raskin joins Genk captain David Heynen and Ajax prospect Jorthy Mokio in earning their first call-ups to the senior squad. The Rangers midfielder’s inclusion comes amid injury concerns for Aston Villa’s £50 million star Amadou Onana.
Belgian Media Applaud Raskin’s National Team Selection
Raskin’s selection validates his performances at club level, particularly following his combative display in January’s Europa League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford. His ability to hold his own against top sides like Man United and Tottenham, along with his standout performance in Rangers’ 3-0 Old Firm victory over Celtic, has not gone unnoticed.
Even former Celtic striker Chris Sutton acknowledged Raskin as “outstanding” after that derby triumph. A strong showing against Ukraine could further solidify his place in Belgium’s evolving squad, which is transitioning away from the ‘Golden Generation’ era.
Belgian journalist Peter Vandenbempt highlighted Raskin’s inclusion as both a well-earned selection and a politically astute move. Speaking to Voetbal Nieuws, he said:
“You could say this is also a diplomatic selection. Many people will be pleased with it, right?
I also find Raskin’s presence remarkable. He has been excellent at Rangers and even captained the side under Philippe Clement.
I believe he fully deserves a place in Belgium’s extended squad. It will be interesting to see how much he has developed since leaving Belgium.”
Raskin, who came through the youth systems at Anderlecht and Gent before breaking into Standard Liège’s first team, had at times felt overlooked in Scotland. However, this long-awaited call-up confirms that he can achieve his international ambitions while playing for Rangers.
Belgian media are fully behind his inclusion, with Walfoot noting that Raskin could fill the role previously occupied by veteran Axel Witsel.
“The arrival of French coach Rudi Garcia presented a new opportunity for him,” the outlet wrote.
“The 24-year-old didn’t let it slip. A regular starter at Rangers, he has already played nearly 3,000 minutes this season and delivered impressive performances, particularly against Tottenham in the Europa League.
Raskin has now gained valuable big-game experience, which may have given him an edge over his competition. He is currently playing the best football of his career and could be a real asset to Garcia’s plans.”
Barry Ferguson Weighs in on Raskin’s Development
Rangers interim boss Barry Ferguson, a former top-level midfielder himself, sees great potential in Raskin and believes the Belgian can reach new heights.
“Since I’ve come in, I’ve seen that Nico has a lot of strong attributes, but also some areas to improve. What I like is that he’s open to learning,” Ferguson said ahead of Sunday’s clash with Celtic.
“I’ll spend time working with him individually when I can, but with the amount of football he’s played, I haven’t had many chances yet—though he’s probably happy about that!
He’s had a good run of games and has stayed injury-free. Now, I need to see even more from him because I believe there’s a lot more to come.
I’m going to push him to reach his full potential because I think Nico can go far in the game.”
With his first senior international call-up now secured, Raskin has the perfect platform to prove that he belongs on the biggest stage.
