Charles De Ketelaere ended a 111-day scoring drought by opening the scoring for Atalanta BC in their Serie A match against ACF Fiorentina, DHnet reported. The 25-year-old forward converted to break his scoring silence, providing a decisive moment in a fixture that ended in a shared points result.
Breakthrough goal ends months of pressure for De Ketelaere
The strike marked De Ketelaere’s first competitive goal of the current campaign for Atalanta. Walfoot.be reported that the Belgian international had faced mounting criticism in recent weeks over missed chances and a lack of killer instinct in the final third. Despite his general play drawing praise, supporters and analysts alike had demanded more end-product from the forward since the season began.
His last official goal in competitive club or international action dated back to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he netted three times for Belgium. Those tallies included a brace against the United States in the Round of 16 and a crucial strike against Spain in the quarterfinals before the Red Devils bowed out.
National team role under Mark van Bommel
The scoring struggles at club level have mirrored scrutiny on the international stage. Walfoot.be noted that Belgium head coach Mark van Bommel has deployed De Ketelaere in a false-nine role during recent UEFA Nations League fixtures—including matches against Italy, France, and Turkey—to compensate for Romelu Lukaku struggling for consistent minutes and form at Fenerbahçe.
That tactical shift places heavy demands on De Ketelaere to occupy central defenders and shoulder the goalscoring burden inside the penalty box.
Atalanta prepares for next Serie A fixture
De Ketelaere’s contribution against Fiorentina offers evidence of a return to form for a player who remains central to his team’s plans.
Charles De Ketelaere scores his first Atalanta goal since January 🙌La Dea draw first blood in their game vs. Fiorentina 💙🖤Stream Serie A on @paramountplus 📺 pic.twitter.com/FHoLEGWf4p
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