At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Belgian national team defeated the United States 2-1 in extra time, with goals by Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne; Twelve years later, they all met again under different circumstances, with the U.S. team even entering the rematch at home in Seattle as the favorite, amid controversy over FIFA’s one-match suspension of Folarin Balogun.
On Sunday, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee suspended the sanction against the U.S. team’s leading scorer in this year’s tournament—imposed for his red-card ejection in the Round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina—for a one-year probationary period, making him available for the match, amid a mix of astonishment and protest from the Belgian Football Federation, which issued an official statement announcing that it is “exploring all possible options.”
The United States enters the match as the favorite against a Belgium team plagued by doubts
A two-goal scorer in the 4-1 win over Paraguay and a one-goal scorer against the Bosnian team—scoring with his left foot just before halftime off a rebound (he had also scored a goal at the half-hour mark that was ultimately disallowed)—Balogun was later sent off in that match.
This was caused by an accidental stomp on the ankle during a scuffle with Tarek Muharemovic.
Beyond the uproar caused by FIFA’s surprising decision—which U.S. President Donald Trump celebrated on his social media platform “Truth”—Belgium has yet to prove, throughout the 2026 World Cup, that it is still the team it once was.
On the brink of elimination in the Round of 32 against Senegal.
Meanwhile, the United States has felt confident with the style instilled in it by Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Winner of three of its four matches: 4-1 over Paraguay, 2-0 over Australia, and, in the qualifiers, 2-0 over Bosnia.
While Spain or Portugal loom on the horizon for the quarterfinals, the U.S. team has been more decisive and effective than Belgium (Filed under: United States vs. Belgium).
Belgium is counting on Lukaku
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Although he has taken 40 fewer shots (92 by the Red Devils compared to 52 by him, according to official FIFA statistics), he has scored one more goal than his opponent.
With ten goals to the nine scored by Rudi García’s team, which is clearly struggling on the field.
They even showed that kind of ambition for 70 minutes against Senegal, but they needed even more goals, with Romelu Lukaku not quite up to speed enough to play the entire match.
The rest of the Belgian players seemed so ineffective on offense that the team’s need for Lukaku—who was called up by the coach despite a disastrous season in which he missed 44 games due to injury or physical problems and whose inclusion on the roster remained uncertain until last May—was evident during the comeback against Senegal.
The winner of this match will face either Portugal or Spain
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For his powerful shot, which came at just the right moment to save his national team and serve as a catalyst once again.
He has scored two goals and set up another after coming off the bench in three of the four games he and his team have played.
Rudi García has to decide whether he’ll start or come off the bench.
The question mark in the lineup is the competition between him and Charles de Keteleare—a different type of player who has yet to score in the tournament—as the coach waits to see if the disastrous first half and the absence of Kevin de Bruyne, who is dealing with discomfort and is questionable, and Jeremy Doku against Senegal is reason enough for the coach to consider a shake-up of his starting lineup (Filed under: United States vs. Belgium).
De Bruyne and Trossard are questionable
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On paper, they are the team’s two best players.
Last Wednesday, they were down 0-2. Belgium ultimately won 2-3.
However, with the team already in the round of 16, it doesn’t seem likely that the coach will make such a major decision, as he has stuck with the same approach—using a line of three attacking midfielders—throughout the entire tournament.
They are Leandro Trossard, De Bruyne, and Doku, whom his teammates are counting on to be at his best as early as Monday.
Trossard and De Bruyne have been dealing with injuries throughout the tournament and are serious question marks, as is center back Brandon Mechele. Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, and either Nathan Ngoy or Zeno Debast could step in for them.
He only changed that lineup in the 0-0 draw against Iran because the Manchester City winger was sidelined due to a respiratory illness—from which he has since recovered.
The central midfield has changed. Youri Tielemans is a sure starter, and Hans Vanaken has come in for Amadou Onana (Filed under: United States vs. Belgium).
Belgium is on an unbeaten streak, but the United States is looking to make history
Belgium has been undefeated in its last 17 matches, dating back to the 3-1 loss to Ukraine that marked the start of the Rudi García era on March 20, 2025.
That entire run of results—with eleven wins and six ties—includes a 2-5 victory over the United States on March 28.
A word of warning for the U.S. team, which has only managed to avoid defeat against the Red Devils once:
They won 3-0 on July 13, 1930, in the first World Cup held in Uruguay.
It’s been almost a century. The United States has not advanced past the round of 16 since then or at the 2002 World Cup (Filed under: United States vs. Belgium).
Probable Lineups
United States: Matt Freese; Alex Freeman, Chris Richard, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Mark Tillman; Sergiño Dest, Folarin Balogun, and Christian Pulisic.
Head Coach: Mauricio Pochettino (ARG).
Belgium: Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele or Nathan Ngoy, Arthur Theate, Maxim de Cuyper, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken or Onana; Leandro Trossard or Dodi Lukebakio, Kevin de Bruyne or Vanaken, Jeremy Doku; Romelu Lukaku or Charles de Keteleare.
Head Coach: Rudi García (FRA).
Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan).
Stadium: Lumen Field in Seattle.
Time: 5:00 p.m. local time (2:00 a.m. CET/12:00 a.m. GMT on July 7).
With information from EFE
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