Belgium players taunted US President Donald Trump by performing his signature dance after a thumping 4-1 victory over the tournament co-hosts in the World Cup last-16 in Seattle – a win fuelled by anger over Fifa's decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play.
Several Belgium players were pictured rocking their hips and slowly pumping their arms in a style that gained notoriety during the 2024 US presidential campaign. The official Instagram account of the Belgium national team then posted a picture of striker Romelu Lukaku cupping his ear with the caption “overturn this” – a direct jibe at the controversy that had dominated the build-up.
“Belgium players mock Trump with dance after 4-1 win over US, fueled by Balogun ban controversy.”
Balogun, 25, was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round, which should have triggered an automatic one-match ban. But on Sunday, Fifa suspended the suspension for 12 months, prompting widespread criticism from Uefa, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel.
On Monday, Trump confirmed he had asked Fifa to review the ban, saying the red card would have left a “big stain” on the tournament. Fifa president Gianni Infantino later insisted he was not involved in the decision, and the chair of Fifa’s disciplinary committee, Mohammad al-Kamali, issued a statement accusing Uefa of hypocrisy, arguing that “the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure” in Uefa-affiliated leagues.
Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said his team felt a “sense of injustice” and were “determined to respond on the field”. Captain Youri Tielemans added: “We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That’s what we did.”
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia revealed that Balogun came to talk after the match. “I really liked that,” Garcia said. “It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame and that’s what I told him.” He stressed that what mattered most was his team’s game plan, not the US line-up.
Iran also took a swipe at the US, posting a screenshot of their draw with Belgium beside the US’s heavy defeat on their official website with the message: “Now the whole world is dancing for the humil…”
The result sent Belgium into the quarter-finals while the USA limped out of their home World Cup.