President Donald Trump’s intervention to help the United States beat Belgium had no effect on the outcome. The Red Devils made sure to rub it in after the humiliation was complete.
Monday evening promised to be a pivotal moment for the US men’s national team as they sought their first Round of 16 victory in 24 years against a Belgian side that had been struggling in the build-up.
But the Americans were utterly overwhelmed and embarrassed on home soil as they fell 4-1 to the same team that eliminated them at the 2014 World Cup.
A shroud of controversy covered the game before kickoff after President Trump implored FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review a red card that would’ve meant a suspension for top USA striker Folarin Balogun. FIFA invoked Article 27 of their disciplinary code and suspended Balogun’s ban – allowing him to take part in the crucial fixture.
But like most of his teammates, Balogun was ineffective against a Belgium team looking for their version of justice. After the win, the squad celebrated by invoking the infamous dance of the American President.
Video taken in the locker room at Seattle Stadium showed the victorious Belgians standing up and doing the same twisting dance that Trump popularized on the campaign trail in 2024.
The Belgium national team mocked President Trump by performing his signature ‘dance’ after beating the United States in the Round of 16 at the World Cup – eliminating them from play
The players performed the same move after their fourth goal of the evening
This comes after President Trump called FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and asked him to ‘review’ the red card suspension of USMNT striker Folarin Balogun – which proved to be successful
Stars like Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Axel Witsel and Alexis Saelemaekers were seen mocking the American President as they danced to the music.
Even Amadou Onana, the Aston Villa midfielder who is believed to have suffered an injury to his ACL, was seen standing on his non-injured leg while thrusting his crutches back and forth along with the movement of his teammates.
This isn’t the first time in the night that someone on Belgium brought out a mocking version of the ‘Trump Dance.’
After bagging his side’s fourth goal of the night, Lukaku wheeled off to the sideline and began doing the twisting dance with the rest of his teammates.
It was a moment of defiance in the face of what Belgians were declaring overt corruption. Their chance to appeal the overturned red card was denied only hours before the game started in Seattle.
At the time, Belgium suggested they would ‘leav[e] all further actions open’ if Balogun was named in the team sheet – including potential going all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
This emerged after reports revealed Donald Trump had called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the one-match ban handed to Balogun.
Moments after Sunday’s announcement, President Trump, who has become close friends with Infantino, wrote: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’
Balogun was sent off for this tackle against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32
Trump called FIFA chief Infantino to ask him to suspend the one-match ban. After a review process, the governing body did just that – clearing Balogun to play the Belgians.
Belgium then had an appeal of Balogun’s suspended ban rejected by FIFA on Monday
White House sources confirmed to the Daily Mail that Trump took the extraordinary step of reaching out to Infantino, ahead of FIFA’s staggering decision to suspend the ban, before the President confirmed the news himself at a Monday press conference.
However, while Trump and millions of USA fans across the country celebrated the one-game ban suspension, the Belgian FA were left furious over the matter and launched an appeal to FIFA, shortly after the news was announced.
On Monday morning, they discovered the fate of that appeal after it was confirmed that the Belgian FA’s request had been rejected by FIFA.
In a statement, the Belgian FA said: ‘The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has received the decision of the FIFA Appeal Committee, signed by its member Mr Salman Al-Ansari, which declares the RBFA’s case inadmissible and confirms the earlier decision allowing United States player Folarin Balogun to play.
‘To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure id est a copy of the decision and the motivation declaring the player eligible as well as the referee’s report. Which is a breach of FIFA regulations.
They added that: ‘The RBFA has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it contests the eligibility of the player, should the player be listed on the referee’s team sheet. This leaves all further actions open.’
Following Trump’s admission that he had called up Infantino over the matter, the FIFA chief offered clarity over the matter through another statement on Monday.
He said: ‘Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues.
After the match, Balogun and Belgium coach Rudi Garcia met and spoke with each other
‘During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.’
For what it’s worth, Balogun approached Belgium boss Rudi Garcia after the match to address the controversy.
‘He came to talk to me. I really liked that,’ Garcia said in French through an interpreter.
‘It is not his fault; he is not the one to blame — and that’s what I told him. I really appreciate the intention that he came to see me. I appreciate this player.’
