<p>BRUSSELS &mdash; Belgium’s soccer players selected for the European Championship will get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the tournament, the government said Wednesday.</p>
<p>Belgium, the top-ranked FIFA team, is among the favorites for the tournament, which opens on June 11.</p>
<p>“This is very important regarding the role we want to play at the championship," the Belgian federation said. “We’re very grateful to all people who made this possible."</p>
<p>According to local media, Belgian players will receive the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, which requires a single dose to be fully effective and is distributed in Europe by subsidiary Janssen.</p>
<p>Belgium will open its campaign against Russia on June 12. The team will then face Denmark and Finland in Group B.</p>
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