The United States’ World Cup campaign ended abruptly on Monday as Belgium thrashed the co-hosts 4-1 in the last-16, a result that sent the Belgians into the quarterfinals and overshadowed by days of political drama surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun.
The match at Lumen Field in Seattle was billed as a historic chance for the US to reach its first World Cup quarter-final in 24 years. Instead, Belgium dominated from the start. Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring in the 9th minute, and after Malik Tillman leveled with a deflected free-kick in the 31st minute, De Ketelaere restored Belgium’s lead just a minute later with a back-post header.
The game was put beyond reach in the 57th minute when Hans Vanaken capitalized on a goalkeeping error by Matt Freese, who was dispossessed outside his area. Romelu Lukaku added a fourth in stoppage time to seal the 4-1 win. Belgium will now face Spain in Los Angeles on Friday.
The build-up to kickoff was dominated not by tactics, but by controversy. Balogun had received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, which normally carries an automatic one-match ban. However, FIFA suspended the ban after US President Donald Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case. Trump called the decision a “brilliant decision”.
The move sparked widespread condemnation and an unsuccessful appeal from Belgium’s football federation hours before kickoff. FIFA said its judicial bodies operated “independently and autonomously”.
Despite starting the match, Balogun was largely anonymous and “could barely get into the game”. Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said the win felt like “justice in life” after the Balogun decision, while coach Rudi Garcia said the controversy had “little impact” on his team’s performance.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted his side never connected: “From the beginning, we didn’t connect with the game. Even when we scored the goal, 1-1, we conceded in the next action”. Midfielder Tyler Adams said the defeat “is gonna sting”.
With the loss, all three World Cup 2026 co-hosts are now out, after Canada and Mexico also fell in the last-16.