Most football fans, except they are somehow strongly pro-USA will feel thrilled by the thrashing of the co-hosts in Seattle. It felt like justice after Fifa’s controversial U-turn to cancel Folarin Balogun’s suspension after a red card and make the striker eligible to play in the last 16.
It was even worse news when it emerged that Donald Trump had lobbied Fifa and Gianni Infantino, placing three calls from last Wednesday to influence the decision. It reeked strongly of the corruption that Fifa has become more and more associated with by a good number of observers in the footballing world, and on matchday, Belgium provided the perfect riposte with a 4-1 smashing of USA.
Romelu Lukaku’s goal in stoppage time to make it four was followed by a celebration from the Belgian Red Devils mimicking a Donal Trump dance.
The European side quickly followed up the victory with an interesting message on their X channel, saying “Overturn this.”
The internet was also filled with comments that “football won”. Belgium’s captain, Youri Tielemans, said his team had been fuelled by the controversy.
“Let’s be honest: we held a meeting when we heard the news,” Tielemans said. “We told ourselves we needed to do our talking on the pitch. That’s what we did today. I’m very proud of the team.”
Midfielder Nicolas Raskin 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.
“And today, I think it just brings us a little bit of luck. We needed to win the game and send the message out.”
However, Belgian manager Rudi Garcia, who had said before the game that his side would “defend football”, was more conciliatory after Balogun had come and spoken to him after the game.
“He came to talk to me, I really like that,” said Garcia. “It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame and that’s what I told him.”
