… what I told FIFA President – American President
By Tom Harsely
Belgium’s Red Devils produced a dominant, clinical display at Seattle Field on Tuesday night to knock the hosts out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 4-1 Round of 16 victory, booking a quarter-final date with Spain in the process.
It was a night that started badly for the USA and never really got better, even though the team refused to quit in front of a sold-out, vocal home crowd.
The damage was done inside nine minutes. Belgian striker Charles De Ketelaere, wearing No. 17, timed his run perfectly and finished coolly to score what became Belgium’s fastest goal of the 2026 tournament. It was also the quickest goal the United States have conceded at a World Cup.
The early strike settled Belgium and forced the USA to chase the game from the outset — not the script Gregg Berhalter’s side wanted in a knockout match with the eyes of the nation watching.
Yet the Americans responded. Amid the off-field noise that has followed the US campaign in recent weeks, the players found an answer on the pitch.
In the 21st minute, Malik Tillman produced the highlight of the night for the hosts. Also wearing No. 17 in a strange coincidence with De Ketelaere, Tillman picked up possession outside the box and unleashed a superb long-range strike that flew past the Belgian goalkeeper. Seattle Field erupted. For 20 minutes, momentum swung. The USA pressed, the crowd roared, and a famous comeback felt possible.
Belgium, however, showed why they came to this tournament as one of Europe’s heavyweights. The Red Devils absorbed the pressure and struck again before the break. De Ketelaere completed his brace in the 43rd minute, ghosting in to tap home a low cross and restore Belgium’s lead at 2-1. It was a gut punch right before halftime.
The second half followed a similar pattern: Belgium in control, the USA chasing.
The contest was effectively put to bed in the 56th minute when Hans Vanaken capitalized on an error by the American goalkeeper, pouncing to slot into an empty net and make it 3-1. The mistake took the wind out of the stadium.
With the game opened up, Belgium introduced experience off the bench. Romelu Lukaku needed little time to leave his mark. The veteran striker added the fourth in the 78th minute, finishing a sweeping team move to complete the 4-1 victory.
To their credit, the USA did not fold. Inspired by their supporters who stayed loud until the final whistle, the American players kept pressing forward whenever they won possession, searching for a way back into the contest. Tillman’s wonder goal and the team’s work rate gave the home fans moments to cheer. But against a Belgium side that dominated from the opening whistle to the final whistle, it was not enough to keep the World Cup on home soil.
The defeat ends the United States’ run in the Round of 16. As co-hosts of 2026, expectations were high, and the early exit will bring questions about finishing, defensive concentration, and how to turn flashes of quality into 90-minute performances against elite opposition.
There were positives to take. Tillman’s goal was a classic, and the team’s refusal to give up despite trailing showed character. Playing under intense scrutiny, both sporting and political, this young US group gained invaluable tournament experience.
For Belgium, the focus now turns to a heavyweight quarter-final against La Roja of Spain. Tedesco’s side looked assured throughout: De Ketelaere’s double takes him to three goals for the tournament, Vanaken punished a key mistake, and Lukaku’s late goal underlined their squad depth.
The Red Devils left Seattle with a statement win. The USA left with pride in patches, disappointment in the result, and the hard lessons that come with crashing out at home — 4-1 to a Belgium team that was simply better on the night.
It could be recalled that one of USA’s best player, striker Folarin Balogun, was shown a red card in the Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic.
The red card would have ruled him out of the USA vs Belgium last-16 game.
But in a strange and unprecedented ‘intervention’, President of the United States of America, Mr Donald Trump said he called FIFA President, Gianni Infantino to ask for a review of Balogun’s red card.
Trump told reporters: “All I did, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul”. He also called the referee’s red card “horrible” and said the referee was “a little bit suspect if you check his past”.
Trump added: “He (Balogun) didn’t do anything wrong and he is our best player. When they take your best player and say ‘You can’t play’ it’s very unfair”.
FIFA later suspended the implementation of Balogun’s ban, clearing him to play vs Belgium.
However, the referee for the Bosnia game was Brazilian official Raphael Claus. FIFA publicly backed him after Trump’s criticism, and Claus did not speak to media during the tournament.
