World Cup 2026

Belgium eliminates the USMNT—and Donald Trump— from the 2026 World Cup

Despite the U.S. president successfully lobbying FIFA to rescind Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension, Mauricio Pochettino’s squad unravels in a brutal defeat to Belgium in Seattle.

Lee Smith

Eduardo López Javier Gálvez

Estados Unidos Update: Jul 6th, 2026 22:43 EDT

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The Oval Office red phone is going to ring all night. Mauricio Pochettino’s promise fell flat, despite having what amounted to Cabinet-level backing from the White House. An involuntary protest from Brandon Aaronson and Tim Ream over Folarin Balogun’s surreal insertion into the starting lineup gifted an effortless victory to Rudi García’s Belgium, whose pragmatic, clinical edge has superseded the artistry of their bygone “Golden Generation.” The French manager even enjoyed the luxury of leaving Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, and Romelu Lukaku on the bench, letting his supporting cast wrap up a scandal that ultimately played out on the pitch. The World Cup can now move forward without extra time in a courtroom. And without the United States.

It”s called s̶o̶c̶c̶e̶r̶ 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋. 😎 #USABEL #ScoredWithING pic.twitter.com/npWPnchKTa
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) July 7, 2026

The time had come to deliver on the hype. “World champions? Sure, it’s possible,” Mauricio Pochettino had told Donald Trump. The former PSG manager unleashed his vaunted 3-4-3 system, deploying Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson as high-pressing wingbacks, anchoring Tyler Adams as the midfield engine, and letting Christian Pulisic operate as a free-roaming catalyst upfront.

But Belgium fired the opening salvo with a blueprint that looked far less aggressive on paper. Youri Tielemans carved open the space just as Matt Freese braced for a point-blank blast. Moments later, off a corner kick, Nicolas Raskin brought the ball down cleanly with the sole of his boot between Chris Richards and Alex Freeman, tracing a line that Charles De Ketelaere ruthlessly redirected into the back of Freese’s net. Trump will find it hard to veto that goal.

The truth is, Pochettino’s USMNT simply failed to show up, even when handed a lifeline. Leandro Trossard, playing at the absolute best of his career, continuously targeted the top corner of Freese’s goal, sending the alarm bells ringing loud and clear inside the Team USA locker room.

The right knee injury to Amadou Onana—his face twisted in genuine terror—sapped the energy right out of García’s XI. The hydration break offered a hard reset for the USMNT, who pushed their defensive lines higher as Belgium dropped back. That’s when Brandon Mechele brought down Folarin Balogun right in Malik Tillman’s sweet spot. Tillman stood over the free kick, unleashing a strike that Hans Vanaken—Onana’s unfortunate substitute—fatally deflected past Thibaut Courtois. Mechele’s foul remains highly debatable. Perhaps the Royal Belgian Football Association could politely ask for a “review.”

However, the case was quickly closed. Leandro Trossard dragged Sergiño Dest and Alex Freeman all the way to the endline, and Charles De Ketelaere leaped higher than Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, and the skyscrapers of Downtown Seattle. There wasn’t even time to stew over the grievance and Belgium took the lead back.

Belgium eliminates the USMNT—and Donald Trump— from the 2026 World Cup — Malik Tillman makes it 1-2 for USA against Belgium with a deflection off the defense.ALEX GRIMM

Freese freezes the USMNT

The USMNT emerged from the half time rejuvenated and with a completely new blueprint: Gio Reyna was subbed on to create in the attacking midfield, sacrificing Sergiño Dest to revert to a traditional back four. But out of nowhere, absolute disaster struck. Matt Freese collected the ball well outside his box, and Charles De Ketelaere hovered, buzzing around the goalkeeper just enough to pick his pocket with a crafty poke. Hans Vanaken, who was lurking nearby, simply slapped the ball into an empty net with his right foot. A Belgian chocolate treat gifted on a silver platter. Tim Ream never saw it coming despite tracking back toward his own goal, his eyes fixed anywhere but where they needed to be.

Red alert, Washington. The Oval Office emergency phone is ringing off the hook: Christian Pulisic, the symbolic captain of the USMNT, was forced off, the victim of yet another injury to his right leg. It was a massive handicap for Pochettino, whose side suffered an abysmal 11 turnovers in just 45 minutes. The tactical setup looked as if it needed the defensive stability of the Gregg Berhalter era just to regain control, but Pochettino desperately lacked the missing ingredients to make it work.

Rudi García flaunted his bench, subbing on Jérémy Doku and Romelu Lukaku just to make a statement—a rising superstar and a certified legend (even with the occasional career turbulence). García has a surplus of raw materials; Pochettino has a deficit. The Argentine packed bodies into Thibaut Courtois’ territory, but completely lacked the tactical arguments to back them up. When the moment of truth arrived, the USMNT fell miles short of the required standard.

Out of nowhere, Sebastian Berhalter ignited 350 million people, unleashing a vicious, bouncing left-footed strike that flirted with a miracle. Folarin Balogun answered the call, shattering the defensive line to go one-on-one with Courtois, but his left-footed blast was smothered by the left palm of the Real Madrid goalkeeper.

With Team USA completely unraveled, Lukaku physically overwhelmed Chris Richards and blasted a shot past Matt Freese, dedicating the goal to the injured Onana. This World Cup has fully vindicated the beastly striker, a man who has historically endured a toxic relationship with the back of the net. As Brussels’ Manneken Pis aims directly at the Washington Monument’s reflecting pool, Donald Trump is likely already calculating a 100% tariff on Belgian beer starting tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino is left to ponder the heavy weight of two years’ worth of unfulfilled promises.

Belgium eliminates the USMNT—and Donald Trump— from the 2026 World Cup

Freese freezes the USMNT

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