Belgium said the controversy surrounding United States striker Folarin Balogun’s suspended one-match ban motivated the team as they cruised to a 4-1 victory over the World Cup co-hosts in their last-16 clash.
Midfielder Nicolas Raskin said the squad felt a “sense of injustice” after FIFA suspended Balogun’s automatic one-match ban for 12 months just before the match, allowing the striker to feature despite his red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the previous round.
The decision drew criticism from UEFA, Belgium and England manager Thomas Tuchel. US President Donald Trump later said he had asked FIFA to review the ban, arguing that Balogun’s absence would have left a “big stain” on the tournament.
Raskin said the events strengthened Belgium’s resolve.
“There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field,” he said.
Captain Youri Tielemans echoed the sentiment, saying the players chose to answer the controversy with their performance.
Following Belgium’s fourth goal, several players celebrated with a dance resembling one associated with Trump during the 2024 US presidential campaign.
The Belgium national team’s official Instagram account also appeared to mock the episode by posting a photo of Romelu Lukaku with the caption, “Overturn this.”
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia revealed Balogun approached him after the match.
“I really liked that. It’s not his fault; he’s not the one to blame, and that’s what I told him,” Garcia said.
The coach added that his players remained focused on executing their game plan regardless of the US team selection.
Meanwhile, Iran also reacted to the result by posting a screenshot of its group-stage draw with Belgium alongside the United States’ defeat, describing the outcome as “the humiliating defeat of politics against football.”
The post followed earlier remarks by US official Markwayne Mullin, who said he “danced a happy dance” after Iran’s elimination from the tournament amid tensions linked to US-Iran relations.
(The Whistler)
