The American dream of winning the World Cup for the first time fizzled out in shambolic fashion in the early hours of Tuesday morning as the United States suffered a devastating 4-1 defeat to Belgium – their heaviest loss since 1990. The lively atmosphere that had been a feature of their previous games fell flat long before the final whistle, with Belgium’s fourth goal prompting streams of fans to leave the Seattle Stadium.
This exit at the last-16 stage, coming for the tournament co-hosts, ended a whirlwind couple of days dominated by Fifa’s controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card from the previous round, allowing him to start the encounter. Balogun had been shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic, but Fifa suspended the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, triggering widespread criticism from Uefa, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel.
“US crash out 4-1 to Belgium after Fifa controversially cleared Balogun to play, sparking Pochettino's fury”
Belgium full-back Timothy Castagne acknowledged the controversy before the match. “It’s great to have the world on our side against the United States,” he said. Balogun himself was measured: “I accepted the decision when I was given the red card, and then I also accepted the decision when I was told I could play. There’s not too much else I can really say on the matter.”
The issue went right to the top of US politics, with President Donald Trump saying on Monday that he had asked… The source text cuts off, but the political dimension was unmistakable.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side had arrived with an arrogant swagger, having shed the underdog mentality under the Argentine manager. One fan outside the stadium before kick-off had predicted: “We’re going to win the World Cup.” That confidence was not alone among the boisterous, patriotic fanbase that had lit up earlier games with fireworks, smoke flares and a military flyover.
But against Belgium, it all unravelled. Pochettino, clearly seething, said he feels “disappointed with too many people” who brought “politics and manipulation” into the game. Just how much the Balogun saga impacted the team remains an open question, but the scoreline told its own story.
Belgium now advance to a quarter-final tie with Spain, while the US must reflect on a tournament that captured the nation’s attention before collapsing amid controversy and a record defeat.