USA Eliminated In “Humiliating, Degrading Fashion” From The World Cup—Belgium And Netizens’ Brutal Responses

Belgium wasted little time taking a swipe at the United States after cruising to a dominant 4-1 victory. 

Moments after the final whistle, the Belgian national team's official X account shared a celebratory photo of Romelu Lukaku alongside the blunt caption, "Overturn this."

The two-word post was widely interpreted as a direct jab at the unprecedented decision that allowed American striker Folarin Balogun to play despite receiving a straight red card in the previous round. 

With Belgium comfortably eliminating the hosts despite Balogun's reinstatement, the post appeared to mock the idea that political intervention could change what unfolded on the pitch. 

Belgium's players appeared to take another playful jab at the pre-match controversy by celebrating with Trump's signature campaign dance during their victory celebration.

In videos circulating online, several Belgian players gathered near the corner flag, pumping their fists rhythmically and swaying their hips in a celebration that closely resembled Trump's viral rally dance.

🇧🇪 En el gol de Lukaku los futbolistas de Bélgica festejaron haciendo el baile que suele hacer el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/AeVj4B0QwS
— Fútbol y Política (@FutboliPolitica) July 7, 2026

Following his stoppage-time goal, Romelu Lukaku sprinted toward the corner flag and the stands at Seattle's Lumen Field, where he cupped his hands to his ears in a gesture widely interpreted as taunting the American crowd.

The Napoli striker then joined his teammates in performing the now-viral Donald Trump-inspired fist-pump celebration, capping off Belgium's memorable night.

Belgium footballer Lukaku waves goodbye, puts his hand to his ear, and appears to yell “f*ck you” to the @USMNT fans.

Classy. pic.twitter.com/yEOjcun76p
— Cole T. Lyle (@ctlyle1) July 7, 2026

The Royal Belgian Football Association shared a post on X celebrating the result, with the graphic displaying the final score alongside the caption, "It's called FOOTBALL," while the word "soccer" was visibly crossed out.

The post was widely interpreted as a dig at American sports culture, where the sport is commonly referred to as soccer rather than football. 

Although the term "soccer" originated in 19th-century England as shorthand for "Association Football," most of Europe eventually abandoned it in favor of "football," while the United States continued using it to distinguish the sport from American football.

Beyond the celebrations and social media posts, many viewed the final score itself as Belgium's biggest statement. 

Lopsided victories are relatively uncommon in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, where matches between the world's top teams are typically decided by a single goal or require extra time and penalty shootouts.

Belgium's 4-1 triumph therefore stood out as an unusually dominant result for a Round of 16 fixture. 

Following days of controversy, the convincing margin left little room for debate, with many interpreting the scoreline as Belgium's most decisive response to the off-field drama.

Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin made his feelings about the pre-match controversy clear after the final whistle, suggesting the result was the fairest possible response to the drama. 

The midfielder revealed that Belgium's squad felt frustrated by what they viewed as unprecedented favoritism toward the host nation after FIFA overturned Balogun's automatic suspension. 

Rather than dwelling on the decision, however, the players used it as extra motivation heading into the knockout clash.

"We knew we had to answer on the pitch," Raskin explained before adding, "Like I said, I think there was always a justice somewhere in life and the fact that something can happen like that, you can put it all you want, but we don't think that was fair.” 

His comments underscored Belgium's belief that the team's performance had settled the controversy where it mattered most, on the field.

Belgium's late-match substitutions were interpreted by some as a statement of just how comfortable the team felt despite the controversy surrounding Balogun's eligibility.

With the United States already trailing and struggling to get back into the game, Belgian manager Rudi Garcia introduced attacking stars Jérémy Doku and Romelu Lukaku in the 66th minute, despite already holding what many considered a commanding advantage. 

The decision drew attention because Garcia had surprisingly left several of his biggest names on the bench from the start, only unleashing them once Belgium had all but sealed the result.

Some viewed the move as a form of sporting "overk*ll," bringing on fresh, world-class attackers against a tiring American defense rather than simply seeing out the match. 

The decision proved even more painful for the hosts when Lukaku found the back of the net in stoppage time, extending Belgium's lead and putting the finishing touch on a dominant performance.

The late goal also saw Lukaku make World Cup history by becoming the first player to score as a substitute in four different World Cup matches.