SEATTLE — After Romelu Lukaku netted the goal that sealed a decisive 4-1 victory against the United States, he playfully raised his right hand to the audience.
Playing in front of a crowd of 66,925 at Lumen Field–and following the controversial decision by FIFA to lift the one-game suspension of U.S. star forward Folarin Balogun–Lukaku rallied the spectators. The Belgian team later took to social media, cheekily posting the phrase “Overturn this” alongside an image from the match.
Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin remarked, “Some form of justice always prevails in life. We didn’t think it was fair that a situation like this occurred. Today, that created a bit of extra motivation for us to secure the win.”
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The Belgian soccer federation sought clarification from FIFA regarding the decision that allowed Balogun to play, but most of the Belgian players insisted they did not lack motivation for the match on Monday.
Belgium extended its unbeaten streak to 18 matches, eliminating the U.S. in the round of 16 for the second time within 12 years.
American defenders, including Alex Freeman, were eager for revenge following the 2014 defeat and a recent 5-2 loss in a World Cup warm-up game in March. However, Belgium’s captain, Youri Tielemans, had other plans, leading his team to a polished performance.
“We brought a lot of intensity and quality to the game,” Tielemans said. “Defensively, we were compact and put them under pressure, which worked in our favor. We scored at the right times as well.”
Despite Lukaku providing the final touch to the victory, it wasn’t the so-called “Golden Generation” of Belgian players who led the charge. Neither Jérémy Doku nor Kevin De Bruyne featured prominently; Doku did not start, and De Bruyne remained on the bench.
Instead of being the stars, it was Charles De Ketelaere who shone brightly, scoring two goals and calling it the best performance of his career with the Red Devils. Belgium’s four goals marked the highest number conceded by the U.S. in World Cup history since their 5-1 defeat to Czechoslovakia in 1990.
“This performance in such a significant match feels fantastic,” De Ketelaere said. “It’s a wonderful achievement for the team and our country.”
Hans Vanaken also contributed to the scoreline for Belgium, which faced a precarious moment just to reach the round of 16, having to mount a comeback from a two-goal deficit against Senegal in the round of 32.
The Red Devils experienced a rocky start to the tournament, with draws against Iran and Egypt. Their progression to the knockout stage was only ensured by a commanding 5-1 victory against New Zealand, as they risked elimination similar to their previous World Cup in Qatar.
“We believe we could have performed much better in the group stage,” midfielder Dodi Lukébakio stated. “However, we have become stronger. Today’s results prove that we are more confident, showcasing our quality.”
Belgium’s next challenge is against 2010 champion Spain on Friday in Inglewood, California, aiming for a semifinal spot against either France or Morocco.
They will be without midfielder Amadou Onana, who suffered a torn ACL while defending against U.S. forward Christian Pulisic in the 19th minute. Vanaken stepped in for Onana shortly after.
After the match, Lukaku held up Onana’s jersey in a show of solidarity.
Despite Onana’s unfortunate injury, which coach Garcia described as a “dark cloud” over the team, it was certainly a triumphant night for Belgium. Given the context of the game—including President Donald Trump’s call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino asking for a review of Balogun’s red card—the victory became even more satisfying.
“Our mission was to prove on the field that we are focused on football,” Tielemans noted. “The decision regarding Balogun was beyond our control; we had to express ourselves through our performance. And we accomplished that today.”
Veteran goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois appeared unfazed by the drama leading up to the match.
“I read those things and found them amusing,” he said. “I felt more confident about defeating the USA than I did against Senegal, as I believe Senegal is a stronger team than the United States.”