​Rewrite of the piece: In Seattle on Monday night, Belgium crushed the 2026 World Cup co-hosts USA 4-1, sending the newly crowned villains home from the tournament. After a promising start that saw the Americans win their group and impress early, they found themselves under global scrutiny through much of the event, amid a perception that U.S. influence had somehow skewed the process in their favor. That narrative soured many neutrals and critics ahead of the Round of 16, and the world seemingly got its wish as Belgium dominated from start to finish, popping their counter-press and keeping their stars quiet.
Belgium, feeling slighted, used the moment to vent at the hosts, delivering verbal and emotional barbs as the final whistle approached in Seattle. The post-match moment intensified after Romelu Lukaku’s stoppage-time goal made it 4-1, with Belgian players mockingly mimicking U.S. president Donald Trump in celebration. The Belgian national team’s official X account also posted a photo of Lukaku celebrating the moment with the caption “Overturn this,” referring to Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension being overturned.
Belgians lamented what they viewed as a perceived injustice when FIFA opted to suspend Balogun’s one-match ban following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. The involvement of Donald Trump came into sharper focus when he publicly claimed that he had spoken with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to appeal Balogun’s suspension, suggesting he had a hand in reversing the ban between the Bosnia and Herzegovina game and the Belgium clash. Whether Trump’s actual influence on the disciplinary committee occurred or not, the lingering perception was that the U.S. president managed to sway FIFA’s decision. This narrative—whether real or imagined—added another layer to the controversy surrounding the U.S. team’s World Cup campaign.