Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku (9) celebrates after scoring his team’s fourth goal throughout the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the USA and Belgium in Seattle, Monday, July 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
SEATTLE — Shortly after Romelu Lukaku scored the goal that capped a commanding 4-1 win over the USA, Belgium’s all-time leading goal scorer held his right hand to his ear.
On American soil, and within the aftermath of star U.S. forward Folarin Balogun being permitted to play after a one-game red-card suspension was controversially lifted by FIFA, Lukaku egged on the group of 66,925 at Lumen Field. The Red Devils then took to social media to poke more fun in light of what they considered no laughing matter, posting above the photo the words: “Overturn this.”
In Belgium’s locker room at Lumen Field, players mocked Trump by imitating his dance, the gestures he makes swaying his hips and slowly punching air.
READ: Folarin Balogun has little impact in US World Cup loss to Belgium
“There’s at all times a justice somewhere in life,” Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin said. “The incontrovertible fact that something happened like that, we don’t think that was fair. And today, I believe it just brings us somewhat little bit of (motivation) that we would have liked to win the sport.”
The Belgian soccer federation wanted an evidence from FIFA concerning the decision to let Balogun play. A lot of Belgium’s players, though, insisted they didn’t need any additional motivation for Monday’s match.
Belgium prolonged its unbeaten streak to 18 games, and knocked out the U.S. within the round of 16 for the second time in 12 years.
American players including defender Alex Freeman entered the evening wanting revenge for 2014, and for a 5-2 blowout loss in a World Cup warmup match in March. Belgium captain Youri Tielemans and company had other ideas, and collectively turned in a clinical performance.
“We put in a variety of intensity, there was quality too,” Tielemans said. “Defensively, we were really compact. We tried to place them under pressure and it really worked out for us. We scored at the proper moments, too.”
READ: Trump confirms he asked FIFA boss for review of Balogun red card
Though Lukaku put the ending touches on the win, it was not Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” that propelled the side to victory. Jérémy Doku didn’t start for the Red Devils, and Kevin De Bruyne never got here off the bench.
Relatively than Lukaku or De Bruyne, the 2 most achieved scorers in Belgian national team history, it was Charles De Ketelaere who tallied a brace. De Ketelaere considered the showing his best yet for the Red Devils, whose 4 goals were probably the most the U.S. had allowed in a World Cup game since a 5-1 loss to Czechoslovakia in 1990.
“It’s an important feeling to place out this performance on this game and to undergo,” De Ketelaere said. “It’s amazing for the team and for the country.”
Hans Vanaken also scored for Belgium, which went quite near not advancing to the round of 16 in the primary place. To even play the U.S. required a dramatic comeback from a two-goal deficit to beat Senegal within the round of 32.
The Red Devils were shaky initially of the tournament, settling for draws against Iran and Egypt. If not for a dominant 5-1 win over Recent Zealand, Belgium could have didn’t get out of the group stage, just because it got here up short 4 years ago in Qatar.
READ: World Cup: Belgium beats co-host USA to achieve quarterfinals
“I believe we could (have done) significantly better within the group phase,” midfielder Dodi Lukébakio said. “But, we grew. Today, we’re showing that we now have more confidence. And with the outcomes, it helps us loads. And, we’re showing our quality, definitely.”
The Red Devils next play 2010 champion Spain on Friday at Inglewood, California, for a semifinal berth against France or Morocco.
They may accomplish that without midfielder Amadou Onana, after the team confirmed he tore his right ACL while marking U.S. forward Christian Pulisic within the nineteenth minute. Vanaken replaced Onana within the twenty first minute.
Lukaku held up Onana’s jersey after the ultimate whistle.
Apart from Onana’s injury, which Garcia known as a “dark cloud” that hung over the team, it was Belgium’s night. Considering the build-up to the sport, which included President Donald Trump calling FIFA president Gianni Infantino searching for a review of Balogun’s red card, it made the victory that much sweeter.
“Our job was to point out on the pitch that we’re here for football,” Tielemans said. “That call was out of our hands, and we just needed to talk on the sphere. And, we did that today.”
Veteran goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois apparently wasn’t upset by the pre-match drama.
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“I read things and I laughed,” he said. “I used to be more sure of beating the USA than Senegal, because Senegal is a greater soccer team than the USA”