Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder chugged a can of Stella Artois and balanced the empty tin on his head as the USA were knocked out of the World Cup by Belgium on a night of controversy and frustration in Seattle.
The 61-year-old grunge icon was captured on the giant screen at Lumen Field during a second-half hydration break – one of the tournament’s new additions that have divided fans – downing his beer with such rockstar enthusiasm that he spilled a fair bit down his shirt. Moments later, after the game resumed, Belgium added a fourth goal through former Chelsea and Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku to seal a resounding win over the co-hosts.
“Eddie Vedder chugs Belgian beer as USA lose to Belgium amid Balogun red-card controversy.”
Vedder’s choice of beverage was itself an irony: Stella Artois is a Belgian beer originally introduced in Leuven. On social media, fans delighted in the moment. One called him a “Legend!” Another joked: “This is awesome but damn he spilled half the beer on himself lol.” A third fan sarcastically called it “the only highlight of the night.”
The match itself was fraught with tension after US President Donald Trump confirmed he spoke to Fifa before the world governing body suspended Folarin Balogun’s one-game red card ban. The decision sparked controversy, and the co-hosts’ defeat only deepened the sense of grievance. Speaking to the BBC, one US fan said: “The world was rooting against the US.”
Despite the political backdrop and the heavy loss, the crowd at Lumen Field still enjoyed the game to the fullest – none more visibly than the Pearl Jam frontman, who appeared unrecognisable as he drowned his sorrows in front of tens of thousands of fans. The European side had taken a 3-1 lead before Lukaku’s late strike, leaving the American hopes in tatters.
Now the USA are out, and the knockout stages continue without the co-hosts. England, France, Spain and Argentina remain among the contenders, but for American fans, the memory of their team’s exit will be forever tied to a rock legend and a half-spilled Belgian beer.
