Belgium eliminated the United States from the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a dominant 4-1 victory in Seattle on Monday, turning a politically charged buildup over striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card reprieve into a lopsided Round of 16 defeat for the co-host.
Belgium Turns Political Drama Into Rout
President Donald Trump’s intervention with FIFA overshadowed the match before kickoff. Trump told reporters that if Belgium beat the U.S. after officials kept Balogun out, "I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020, but I won’t get into that," according to a clip posted by independent journalist Aaron Rupar and cited in live coverage.
Belgium made the controversy look irrelevant on the field. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, while Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku added second-half goals to send Belgium into the quarterfinals against Spain. After the fourth goal, several Belgian players appeared to mimic Trump’s familiar campaign-trail dance, rocking their hips and slowly pumping their arms.
Belgium Mocks FIFA Decision After Win
