Belgium thrashed the USA 4-1 in the World Cup Round of 16, with Romelu Lukaku and teammates appearing to mimic President Donald Trump's trademark dance moves during celebrations. The victory at Seattle Stadium eliminated the host nation from the tournament.
Match Details and Controversial Build-Up
Charles De Ketelaere scored twice in the first half, either side of Malik Tillman's free-kick for the USA. Hans Vanaken slotted into an empty net to make it 3-1 in the second half, before Lukaku added a late fourth and celebrated in Trump's style.
The match was preceded by controversy after FIFA allowed USA striker Folarin Balogun to play despite a red card in the previous round. Trump welcomed FIFA's ruling at the Oval Office on Monday, acknowledging he spoke with Gianni Infantino before the suspension was overturned.
Belgium's Response to FIFA Decision
Belgium reacted angrily, demanding clarification and threatening action. The Royal Belgian Football Association stated: "This leaves all further actions open. To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure."
After the match, Belgium's official account posted "Overturn this" with an image of the 4-1 scoreline.
Impact and Next Steps
Belgium will face Spain in the quarter-finals, with the winner meeting either France or Morocco. The USA exited at the round of 16 stage for the second consecutive World Cup, matching their 2022 performance.
USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino, whose contract expires this summer, said: "In the next weeks, we can start to talk if the federation wants to talk. Right now, it's about resting a little bit, to think, have conversations with the federation to see what the decision is."
