The U.S. men’s national team got nothing going against Belgium, suffering a 4–1 defeat to exit the World Cup in the round of 16.
The build up to the USMNT’s clash with Belgium was dominated by one talking point only: FIFA’s unprecedented decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension, allowing him to participate at Lumen Field.
The fallout from that decision will continue for many days, weeks and even months to come, but it ultimately did the Stars and Stripes no favors. Mauricio Pochettino’s men were all but lifeless in Seattle and will be thinking about Monday’s game for a very, very long time.
The defeat stains an otherwise thrilling 2026 World Cup run from the host nation. The Stars and Stripes were deserved winners against Paraguay and Australia in the group stage, before securing a controlled and mature victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina despite playing down a man for much of the second half.
Belgium, meanwhile, had a rocky group stage and needed a miraculous comeback over Senegal in the round of 32 to stay alive in the competition. The Red Devils were the underdogs coming into Sunday’s bout, but quickly reminded the world they are not to be underestimated—and eliminated the USMNT from the competition in the process.
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