Belgium taunt US after Balogun ban overturned
Belgium thrashed the USA 4-1 in the World Cup last 16 after Folarin Balogun's one-match ban was suspended following Donald Trump's intervention. Belgium players mocked the decision with 'Trump dance' celebrations and a social media post captioned 'overturn this'.
Belgium convincingly beat World Cup co-hosts USA 4-1 in their round of 16 clash, but the match was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun's suspended ban. Balogun, 25, received a straight red card in the previous round for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic and seemed set to miss the Seattle tie.
However, on Sunday FIFA suspended the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, sparking widespread criticism from Uefa, Belgium, and England boss Thomas Tuchel. On Monday US President Donald Trump said he had asked FIFA to review the decision, claiming it would have left a 'big stain' on the tournament. Trump confirmed he spoke to FIFA president Gianni Infantino but insisted he only requested a review, not the suspension.
Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said the team felt a 'sense of injustice' that motivated them. 'A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days. We were determined to respond on the field,' he said. Captain Youri Tielemans added: 'We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That's what we did.'
After scoring their fourth goal, several Belgium players were pictured performing the 'Trump dance' – a hip-rocking, arm-pumping move from the 2024 US presidential campaign. The Belgian national team's official Instagram account posted a photo of striker Romelu Lukaku cupping his ear with the caption 'overturn this'.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) had earlier expressed astonishment at the decision and contested Balogun's eligibility. Their appeal was rejected on the grounds that Belgium was not an interested party.
England boss Thomas Tuchel criticized the ruling as setting a dangerous precedent. 'Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that,' he said. Uefa also slammed the intervention as 'crossing a red line'. Fellow England defender Jarell Quansah was sent off in his side's 3-2 win over Mexico, highlighting the inconsistency. Of 189 red cards at World Cups, only one player – Brazil's Garrincha in 1962 – has previously escaped a suspension, before automatic bans were in place.
