U.S. men’s World Cup run ends with 4-1 loss to Belgium in Round of 16

Belgium struck first in the 9th minute, but Malik Tillman answered with a free kick to level the score. The U.S. men’s national team couldn’t hold on. They fell 4-1 to Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle, closing out a remarkable group-stage campaign.

Three group-stage wins—over Paraguay, Australia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina—made this the most successful opening round ever for a U.S. men’s World Cup squad. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino had guided them further than most predicted. The 2026 World Cup was the first time in thirty years that every U.S. men’s match would be played on home soil, yet that advantage evaporated once the knockout stage began.

Belgium—ranked No. 9 heading into the match—seized control after the early back-and-forth. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice in the first half, with his second goal arriving less than sixty seconds after Tillman’s equalizer, a swing in momentum that changed everything. Hans Vanaken made it 3-0 in the 57th minute when U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese made a costly mistake. Romelu Lukaku added a fourth in stoppage time.

The loss carried an undercurrent of controversy involving Folarin Balogun, the tournament’s top scorer for the U.S.. Balogun had been sent off during the Round of 32 against Bosnia-Herzegovina. A FIFA panel pushed back his suspension by a year, clearing him to play Belgium. President Trump personally contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino about the red card, and Belgium’s football association announced it would lodge a protest over Balogun’s participation.

Belgium advances to the quarterfinals for the third time in four World Cups, where they’ll meet Spain on Friday in Los Angeles.