Belgium fans erupted in jubilation after the national team defeated the USA 4-1 in a World Cup last-16 match, with celebrations including setting fire to an American flag in Brussels and mocking US President Donald Trump. The victory came amid controversy over Trump's lobbying to overturn the suspension of striker Folarin Balogun.
Political and Social Reactions
Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever remained silent on the win, but his cat Maximus's Instagram account posted a sardonic image of the cat holding a soft toy of Trump, with the caption: “I slept really well last night. And you?” The account, managed by De Wever's team, often makes ironic political comments.
Fans across Belgium gathered in large crowds despite the 2am local kick-off time. In Kalmthout, near the Dutch border, supporters booed images of Americans and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who lifted Balogun's suspension after Trump's lobbying. In Brussels, an American flag was set ablaze.
Player and Celebrity Reactions
Former Belgium defender Philippe Albert called the victory “a real slap in the face for Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino.” He told Le Soir: “They tried to destabilise a little country, but Belgium has shown that it has a big heart.” The team's social media post after the 4-1 win read “Overturn this” and went viral. Players mocked Trump's dancing after Romelu Lukaku scored the final goal, with midfielder Axel Witsel confirming it was a group idea.
Social Media and Cultural Impact
Social media users shared memes, including fake images of Trump with Belgium's national colours painted on his face and the Manneken Pis statue urinating into a green Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. The victory came on the eve of a NATO summit in Ankara, where De Wever and Trump are due to attend. Belgium has long been a low defence spender, with reports indicating it will spend only 1.93% of GDP on defence in 2029, below the 2% target.
Football remains a unifying force in Belgium, a country of 11.9 million with three official languages and six parliaments. King Philippe will travel to Los Angeles for the quarter-final against Spain on Friday. Before the match, the monarchy's X account posted: “May fair-play and the best team prevail tonight: come on Belgium!”
