The United States’ World Cup run came to an abrupt end in Seattle, but the conversation had already spilled far beyond the pitch before the opening whistle.
Days after U.S. striker Folarin Balogun received a red card during the Americans’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, President Donald Trump stepped into the controversy by contacting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to challenge the decision. Trump later said he “merely pointed out a horrible decision,” maintaining he did not instruct FIFA to reverse the ruling.
FIFA ultimately postponed Balogun’s automatic one match suspension, placing him on a year of probation and clearing him to face Belgium. The move immediately drew criticism, with the Royal Belgian Football Association saying it was “astonished” by the outcome, while former FIFA president Sepp Blatter described the reversal as political pressure.
Hours before kickoff, Trump added more fuel to the buildup while speaking with reporters.
“If they beat us, then they can be really proud. The other way, if they beat us, I’ll say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020.”
Belgium answered on the field with a commanding 4-1 victory that knocked the United States out of the tournament. After finding the net for a fourth time, Belgian players celebrated by mimicking Trump’s signature rally dance.
The trolling continued online after the final whistle, when the Belgian Red Devils’ official X account shared a celebratory team photo alongside the caption, “Overturn this.” The post quickly spread as Belgium capped one of the tournament’s most talked about storylines with a decisive win.
