Romelu Lukaku and his Belgium teammates mocked United States President Donald Trump after a 4-1 win over the USA in the World Cup round of 16. The match, held at Seattle Stadium, was preceded by controversy over FIFA's decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play despite a red card in the previous round. Trump had asked FIFA to review Balogun's ban, calling it a 'big stain' on the tournament.
Belgium's emphatic response
Belgium responded on the pitch, with Lukaku scoring his third goal of the tournament to seal the win. He cupped his ear to the crowd, suggesting there had been too much talk, and then mimicked Trump's signature dance from his 2024 presidential campaign. Belgium's official social media accounts posted a picture of Lukaku with the caption 'Overturn this.'
Onana's serious injury
The only negative for Belgium was a serious injury to former Everton midfielder Amadou Onana. The Aston Villa player left the stadium on crutches with a knee brace after being forced off in the first half. Head coach Rudi Garcia said, 'It's not good news for him as an individual or for us as a team. I do have the feeling that he is out.'
Lukaku, who scored 87 goals for Everton, paid tribute to Onana by holding up his shirt after the match. Belgium will face Spain in the quarter-finals on Friday. Portugal boss Roberto Martinez, who signed Lukaku for Everton, confirmed he would leave his role after Portugal's defeat to Spain.
