Belgium players appear to mock Donald Trump with his signature dance move after eliminating USA from the World Cup

Belgium knocked the United States out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 4-1 win in Seattle on Monday, sending the last remaining host nation home in the round of 16. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a late fourth goal to seal a comfortable victory for the Belgian side.

After Lukaku’s goal, several Belgian players appeared to break into what looked like Donald Trump’s well-known arm-pumping dance – a move the U.S. president is frequently seen performing at rallies and public appearances. The moment was widely shared on social media after the match.

According to Mediaite, the celebration appeared to be a response to Trump’s publicly acknowledged role in lobbying FIFA to overturn a suspension on U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, who had received a red card in the previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and was initially set to miss the round-of-16 game. Trump later said he personally contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked him to review the case. FIFA subsequently dropped the ban.

Belgian players and officials said the off-pitch controversy motivated the team to perform on the field

The decision to reinstate Balogun sparked significant backlash. Reports indicated that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also played a role in overturning Balogun’s red card suspension ahead of the match. UEFA publicly criticized the move, and Belgium’s own football federation said it would appeal the ruling. Pundits and commentators also raised concerns about political interference in the sport.

Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin addressed the controversy directly after the match. “A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days. There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field,” he said.

Belgian captain Youri Tielemans echoed that sentiment. “We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That’s what we did,” he said in post-match comments.

The apparent jabs did not stop with the on-field celebration. Belgium’s official national team account on X posted a photo of Lukaku cupping his ear after scoring, with the caption: “Overturn this.” The post was seen by many as a direct reference to Trump’s intervention in the Balogun suspension case.

Balogun did play in the match after the ban was lifted, but the U.S. was unable to convert his presence into a result, falling 4-1 on the night. The defeat ended the United States’ run in the tournament, making them the last of the three co-host nations to be eliminated.

Canada and Mexico also fell short in their Round of 16 matches, leaving their fans in agony like this Japan fan, earlier in the tournament. Belgium will now advance to the quarterfinals, where they are set to face Spain.