Belgium triumphed over the U.S. in their World Cup knockout match, ending with a decisive 4-1 scoreline on Monday night. Despite the participation of U.S. star player Folarin Balogun, the U.S. team failed to secure victory. Balogun remained scoreless throughout the match.
Belgium took the lead early, scoring within the first ten minutes. The U.S. managed to level the game briefly, but Belgium quickly retook and maintained the lead. A critical moment occurred when U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese mishandled the ball outside the net, resulting in Belgium’s third goal. This mishap further solidified Belgium’s advantage.
“It’s one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn’t been played yet? You can’t do that. That’s unfair. So yes, I asked for a review by FIFA,”
added President Trump, explaining his intervention that led to Balogun’s red card being overturned by FIFA and allowing him to play in the match.
The controversy surrounding Trump’s involvement stirred significant reactions within the soccer community. FIFA’s reversal of the red card decision marked the first such instance since 1962, as reported by The New York Times. Despite protests from Belgium’s coach Rudi Garcia and players, FIFA dismissed Belgium’s appeal.
Belgium’s players celebrated their win, mocking Trump’s political rally dance style and posting on social media with references to his comments. As the U.S. team exits the tournament, they leave behind a record-breaking campaign with eight goals scored. Their performance attracted a substantial fanbase, reflecting soccer’s rising popularity in the U.S.
This loss followed President Trump’s assertion that the tournament would be “rigged” if Balogun were barred from playing and Belgium emerged victorious. With Canada and Mexico also defeated in their round of 16 games, the co-hosts’ involvement in the tournament has ended. Belgium will face Spain on Friday in the semifinals.