Genk defender Kabasele wins place for Belgium

UEFA European Championship 2016 - Belgium training session - Lausanne, Switzerland - 23/05/16. Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium picked uncapped defender Christian Kabasele ahead of the injured Dedryck Boyata on Tuesday as they named their 23-man squad for next month's European Championship in France.

They have a wealth of attacking talent, including Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, but are struggling at the back without Boyata, captain Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Lombaerts and Bjorn Engels.

Kabasele, 25, has been a regular at Racing Genk for the past two seasons.

Belgium play friendlies against Finland on Wednesday and Norway on Sunday before facing Italy in their Euro 2016 opener in France on June 13.

Ireland and Sweden are also in Group E.

Wilmots told a news conference he would rest defender Thomas Meunier, midfielders Mousa Dembele and Radja Nainggolan and forward Yannick Carrasco against the Finns.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: 1-Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), 13-Jean-Francois Gillett (Mechelen), 12-Simon Mignolet (Liverpool) Defenders: 2-Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur), 23-Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact), 15-Jason Denayer (Galatasaray), 18-Christian Kabasele (Racing Genk), 21-Jordan Lukaku (Oostende), 16-Thomas Meunier (Club Bruges), 3-Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), 5-Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur) Midfielders: 19-Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur), 8-Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), 4-Radja Nainggolan (AS Roma), 6-Axel Witsel (Zenit St Petersburg) Forwards: 22-Michy Batshauyi (Olympique Marseille), 20-Christian Benteke (Liverpool), 11-Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), 7-Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), 10-Eden Hazard (Chelsea), 9-Romelu Lukaku (Everton), 14-Dries Mertens (Napoli), 17-Divock Origi (Liverpool).

(Compiled by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Tony Jimenez; mark.gleeson@thomsonreuters.com; +27828257807; Reuters Messaging: Reuters Messaging: mark.gleeson.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)