Belgium defeated the United States 4-1 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup and eliminated them from the tournament. In the quarter-finals, Belgium will face Spain. The Americans arrived as favorites but collapsed at the crucial moment, and now all three host nations are out of the tournament. Poularin Balougun, whose suspension was lifted following intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, was weak—like all U.S. players. Charles De Ketelaere put Belgium ahead in the 9th minute, but the Americans equalized in the 31st minute through a goal by Malik Tillman. Two minutes later, De Ketelaere restored Belgium's lead, Hans Vanaken scored the third in the 57th minute and Romelu Lukaku the fourth in the 93rd minute.