Top-ranked Belgium on show in friendly

Belgium will celebrate reaching No. 1 in the world rankings for the first time when it hosts Italy in a friendly on Friday.

Belgium will also have a point to prove at sold-out King Baudouin Stadium to show it deserves to be top and above World Cup winner Germany, despite making only the quarter-finals last year.

Good performances against four-time World Cup winner Italy, then European champion Spain next Tuesday, would go a long way to convincing its doubters of its credentials.

However, with the European finals seven months away, coach Marc Wilmots wants to experiment with some players, including right back Luis Pedro Cavanda of Trabzonspor.

"Players will have a chance to show themselves," Wilmots said. "We will be rotating."

Friday's game would have been a highlight for Napoli's Dries Mertens but he was out after tearing a right thigh muscle this week.

Captain Vincent Kompany was also unsure because of a calf injury, and after Wilmots already angered Manchester City by fielding him last month at the end of an injury spell, he will seek to keep risks at a minimum.

"I will take a decision together with him. I have plenty of options and I don't want to overload him too much considering his club commitments," Wilmots said.

The match also has a historical significance. It will be used to commemorate the victims of the Heysel Stadium tragedy, shortly after the 30th anniversary.

King Baudouin Stadium is the rebuilt Heysel Stadium, where 39 people - mostly Italians - died during fan violence at the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus on May 29, 1985.