The U.S. team at the FIFA World Cup suffered an “embarrassing” loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday night – and it seems nobody is going to let them forget about.
Team USA, which had entered the game under a firestorm of controversy, was easily dismantled by the Belgians during knockout stage match in Seattle by a score of 4-1.
Heading into the match, U.S. President Donald Trump had successfully – and controversially — lobbied FIFA to overturn a red card given to star striker Folarin Balogun in the previous game, which would have forced him to miss Monday’s match due to suspension.
Trump said on Monday that he put in a call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, with the organization later announcing that Balogun’s ban would be suspended and that he was eligible to play.
While the Royal Belgian Football Association protested the decision, it ultimately didn’t matter on the pitch as the Red Devils ran rampant on the favoured Americans.
What was Belgium’s message to the U.S. team?
After the match, the Belgian team’s official X account shared a savage response to the pre-match posturing by the U.S. team and Trump.
“Overturn this,” the Red Devils’ official X account posted alongside a photo of star Romelu Lukaku celebrating the game’s final goal.
That wasn’t all, either. Lukaku and his teammates appeared to take a direct shot at the U.S. president following his goal during second-half injury time.
While celebrating near a corner flag, a large group of Belgian players mocked Trump by doing his signature dance move.
It didn’t end there. After the match during Belgium’s post-match celebrations in it locker room at Seattle Stadium, the team once again busted out Trump’s dance while one of the U.S. president’s favourite songs — YMCA by the Village People — played on a speaker.
After the match, the knives were out for the U.S. team – from all sides.
What did Dave Portnoy say?
In Canada, TSN’s post-game panel ripped the team’s effort and called the squad “overhyped.”
“This team is so overhyped,” Kevin Kilbane said during post-match coverage. “They have been demolished today. They were schooled. They were embarrassed on and off the pitch because Belgium showed how flawed they really are.”
“It’s hard to explain how bad they are at this level,” Steven Caldwell added.
One of the most embarrassing moments of the match was when American goalkeeper Matt Freese badly misplayed a ball, leading to Belgium scoring an easy third goal.
In the U.S., Barstool founder Dave Portnoy – one of the team’s biggest supporters – absolutely slammed its effort during the game.
“Embarrassing effort from the United States. Lights were way too bright for US soccer team. Stage way too big,” Portnoy wrote on X.
“We’re a f***ing joke. That game was a f***ing joke. If you’re gonna have us root for our team, how about having a goalie who f***ing doesn’t give up a goal, just kicking the ground and giving it to the other team,” he added about Freese’s giveaway.