Belgium defeated the United States of America 4-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 and ended the hosts' campaign with the impressive performance that came with the return of striker Folarin Balogun as a starter.
The build-up to the knockout clash had been dominated not by football but by the controversy surrounding Balogun’s eligibility. The US forward had been initially given a one-match suspension based on the red card in the previous round. But FIFA suspended the ban for a year and Balogun was able to play for Belgium.
The decision has dominated football and there is speculation that the US president Donald Trump personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the suspension. FIFA’s action was denounced by fans and pundits and some sports pundits felt political influence had factored into a sporting decision.
For all the pre-match drama, Belgium didn’t seem to care and let their football speak for itself.
The Red Devils dominated everything from the opening whistle and put the United States under relentless pressure. Balogun, who had attracted so much attention, was not able to start as Belgium controlled possession and took better chances and exposed the American defence throughout the match.
Belgium’s attacking stars came together in a 4-1 victory that secured their place in the quarter-finals and ended USA’s World Cup dream.
For most of the day, the most talked-about moment was the Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku dancing like Donald Trump, a silly imitation of his own, in a first-team celebration.
After the match, the Belgium midfielder Yuri Tielemans said the Balogun controversy was a source of further motivation for the team after the final whistle.
"Let's be honest: we held a meeting when we heard the news," Tielemans said after the match.
"We told ourselves we needed to do our talking on the pitch. That’s what we did today. I’m very proud of the team."
The midfielder said Belgium's aggressive approach from the beginning was intentional.
"We played with real grit. We wanted to get off to a good start—something we had missed earlier in the tournament. When we put them under pressure, they’d make mistakes."
For the United States, defeat was a bad end to a promising World Cup campaign. FIFA overturned Balogun’s suspension and many expected the striker to be the one who would put the edge on one of Europe’s best sides, but Belgium’s disciplined defence held him quiet throughout the game.
A few weeks later, social media erupted with reactions to the defeat with memes on the FIFA decision and Trump’s involvement. Many felt that though Balogun was given another chance on the pitch, Belgium proved performances, not controversies, do determine football games.
The result also solidified Belgium’s credentials as genuine title contenders. The players produced such a composed performance and their clinical finishing and defensive supremacy is proof that they are still able to contend with a lot of competition and as such have the chance for the World Cup trophy.
The Balogun reinstatement would most likely be subject to a lot of debate, but Belgium ensured the lasting memory of the match would be their dominant football. In a night of politics and off-field discussions, the Red Devils had given the most convincing statement possible—and it was made on the pitch.
