Belgium crushes USA 4-1 as Trump's Balogun intervention backfires at World Cup
Belgium eliminated the United States 4-1 in the World Cup round of 16, with Folarin Balogun ineffective after Donald Trump's call to FIFA overturned his suspension. The Red Devils mocked the president with a viral 'Overturn this' post.
Match recap
Belgium dominated from the start at Seattle's Lumen Field, with Charles De Ketelaere opening the scoring in the 9th minute. The Atalanta forward tapped in a cross from Raskin after a defensive scramble. The USA briefly equalised when Malik Tillman's free kick deflected off Hans Vanaken and past Thibaut Courtois in the 31st minute, but De Ketelaere restored Belgium's lead just 100 seconds later with a header from Trossard's cross.
- De Ketelaere opens the scoring for Belgium
- Onana injured, replaced by Vanaken
- De Ketelaere scores his second goal
- Tillman equalises for USA with a deflected free kick
- Vanaken makes it 3-1 after Freese's error
- Lukaku seals the 4-1 win
In the second half, Belgium controlled the game. Vanaken made it 3-1 in the 57th minute after goalkeeper Freese's error allowed De Ketelaere to steal the ball and set up the midfielder. Romelu Lukaku added a fourth in stoppage time, sealing a comprehensive victory. Belgium now faces Spain in the quarter-finals.
Balogun's invisible night
Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was controversially overturned after Trump phoned FIFA president Gianni Infantino, started but failed to make an impact. He managed only a few touches and one shot on target, winning the free kick that led to Tillman's goal. The striker was substituted after 82 minutes, having done little to justify the pre-match hype.
Political fallout
Trump's intervention drew widespread criticism, and the result sparked talk of a "Trump curse" on social media. Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci posted:
US coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted his team was never focused:The Trump curse in effect like with the Knicks.
From the start, everyone saw we were not in the game; we never felt involved.
Belgium's mockery
After the final whistle, Belgium's players celebrated by imitating Trump's signature dance, and the team's official X account posted two photos of Lukaku with the caption:
The message was a direct jab at Trump's attempt to influence the match. The post went viral, with many fans interpreting it as a defence of sporting integrity.Overturn this.
What's next
The USA becomes the third host nation to exit the tournament, following Mexico and Canada in the round of 16. Belgium advances to face Spain on Friday evening, with momentum and a clear statement of intent.
