Belgium’s players danced Donald Trump’s signature hip-rocking jig after scoring their fourth goal, then their national team’s Instagram account posted a picture of striker Romelu Lukaku cupping his ear with the caption “overturn this”. Their 4-1 thrashing of the United States in the World Cup last-16 was a victory laced with mockery — a pointed response to Fifa’s decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban of US forward Folarin Balogun after a personal intervention by the US president.
Balogun, 25, had been shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic, appearing certain to miss the Seattle tie. But on Sunday Fifa suspended the ban for 12 months. On Monday Trump confirmed he had asked the governing body to review the decision, telling reporters at the White House he had spoken to Fifa president Gianni Infantino because he “didn’t think it was a foul”. The president called the red card “horrible” and the Brazilian referee Raphael Claus “a little bit suspect”, a remark the Brazilian football confederation later rebutted, insisting Claus was “an exemplary professional”.
“Belgium thrashed US 4-1 after Fifa suspended Balogun's ban following Trump's intervention, sparking calls for Infantino's resignation.”
Infantino, in a statement, said he told Trump there was “an ongoing legal process involving Fifa’s independent judicial bodies”. The Fifa appeal committee then dismissed Belgium’s appeal, ruling the Belgian federation was not an interested party. The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished”.
“A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days,” said Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin. “There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we 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.”
Head coach Rudi Garcia said Balogun “came to talk” after the match. “It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame and that’s what I told him,” Garcia said. Iran later posted a screenshot of their own draw with Belgium alongside the US defeat, writing: “Now the whole world is dancing for the humiliating defeat of politics against football.”
The backlash against Infantino has been fierce. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, set to take charge of Germany, said: “This is our sport, not theirs. If Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino really sorted this out between themselves, it is madness; it calls everything into question.” Gary Lineker suggested US manager Mauricio Pochettino should have left Balogun out for the sake of integrity. Former Football Association chairman David Bernstein said the decision “hits at one of the beauties of football – the worldwide application across the world of regulations and rules”. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey was blunt: “Infantino must go. No matter where it’s held, the World Cup belongs to the fans – not gangsters like Trump.”
Infantino, president since 2016 and re-elected unopposed twice, has confirmed he will stand again in 2027. The US are out of the tournament. The integrity of the game remains on the line.
