Tens of thousands gathered near the Capitol expecting a home-soil celebration, but Belgium’s 4-1 win in Seattle sent the US out in the round of 16, left all three host nations eliminated and turned the capital’s fan zone into a quiet walk home Related TopicsFrom the corridors near the fan zone set up at the foot of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., close to the White House, one of the strangest plots in World Cup history had been woven. President Donald Trump’s “Operation Balogun,” which turned out to be another American operation with little real substance, collapsed along with the U.S. national team’s striker and his teammates in a 4-1 defeat to Belgium and elimination from the World Cup round of 16.Tens of thousands of fans carrying U.S. flags streamed toward the National Mall, the corridor between the Washington Monument and the Capitol that has shaped so much of world history. They dreamed of a quarterfinal against Spain on Friday. But politics do not decide what happens on the pitch, and karma could be felt from Seattle to the American capital.Gallery(Photo: Nadav Zenziper)American fans, apparently not all Republicans, held signs calling to “free Jarell Quansah,” the England defender sent off against Mexico. In other words, as in the Balogun affair, they were calling for the red card to be erased so he could play in Saturday’s quarterfinal against Norway in Miami.At the center of the national fair of “Great America,” as it was presented, amid a rodeo area and a Ferris wheel overlooking the capital as darkness fell, a giant screen was placed right next to the Capitol building.Stars and Stripes flags were handed out nonstop, along with fans marking 250 years of American independence and cowboy hats. Booths representing each U.S. state were also part of the scene. The dessert was supposed to be an American place in the final eight. Instead, that dream shattered.(Photo: Nadav Zenziper)(Photo: Nadav Zenziper)The United States joined Canada and Mexico, who were eliminated earlier, leaving the tournament without any of its three host nations. As with Canada, the American exit did not exactly produce images of deep grief or mass tears, unlike Mexico or fans from countries where soccer is a true national obsession.What the American nation did experience was mainly a blow to its national pride after Mauricio Pochettino’s players were knocked out by Belgium. The four goals pushed the Americans back into proportion about their actual level, and that came against a Belgian team that is relatively modest compared with its strongest recent generations, not one of the tournament’s true giants.The same fans who had celebrated the equalizer in front of the screens in Washington eventually dispersed quietly. This time, Trump could not help them. The United States will watch the rest of its home World Cup from the couch.By contrast, the few Belgian fans who had come and whom I later met at National Harbor celebrated a place in the quarterfinals, while also casting a metaphorical angry glance at Portugal coach Roberto Martinez, the former Belgium coach who managed to make their golden generation disappear and has now done the same with Portugal.Comments