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Rabat – The US 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign ended in the Round of 16 with a heavy loss to Belgium, which halted the American dream of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
Expectation had pointed to a different outcome. The US arrived with a squad filled with players in key roles across Europe’s top leagues, a high-profile coach in Mauricio Pochettino, and the advantage of playing on home soil throughout the tournament.
Belgium had other ideas, winning 4-1 in front of a sellout crowd.
A rough night at the back
The scoreline flattered the hosts, if anything. Belgium outperformed the US on expected goals, 2.15 to 0.67, a gap that reflects how thoroughly they were dominated.
From kickoff, the US were outclassed by ninth-ranked Belgium, with countless turnovers and defensive lapses punished early; it took Belgium only nine minutes to go 1-0 up through Charles De Ketelaere.
Malik Tillman’s brilliant free kick leveled the score in the 31st minute, but the reprieve barely lasted. Just a minute later, De Ketelaere got in behind the American defense again to restore Belgium’s lead and outshine the match.
The killer blow, though, came from a mistake that will sting for a long time. In the 57th minute, goalkeeper Matt Freese slipped up outside the penalty area, leaving the goal unguarded for Hans Vanaken to roll the ball in, a moment that silenced the sellout crowd for good.
Late in stoppage time, Chris Richards’ poor attempt to dribble out of trouble ran him straight into a pressing Vanaken, teeing up Romelu Lukaku for the fourth goal and turning a loss into a rout.
Expectations vs reality
There was real belief heading in. After the final whistle, Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun sat frozen in the dugout, Balogun pulling his shirt over his face, while Chris Richards dropped to his knees, a reaction that captured the moment.
Left back Antonee Robinson admitted the performance was unlike anything the team had shown all summer, saying it was difficult to explain where it went wrong.
Pochettino didn’t dress it up. “Today we didn’t show our real quality,” he said. “It just hurts to be eliminated.”
Tyler Adams was equally blunt in his postgame assessment and analysis, stating the performance was disappointing and pointing to missed opportunities across the board.
The buildup added its own drama. Balogun was fined $40,000 after a red card in the previous round, and a suspension was briefly threatened or pressured to keep him out. Though Belgium appealed to keep him sidelined, FIFA rejected it. He played, yet even at full strength, the US couldn’t compete.
Progress, or just a familiar ending?
Everything seemed to fall into place for the US this tournament. The draw, the injuries, and crucial decisions all appeared to favor the hosts. Yet the ending felt all too familiar.
The US was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Belgium. They controlled parts of the match but rarely looked capable of winning.
Whether this counts as progress depends on the standard applied. Reaching the knockout stage at home checks a box. But a 4-1 defeat, driven by costly defensive errors, suggests the gap to the world’s best remains.
Belgium marched into the quarterfinals, where they will face Spain on Friday. It marks their third quarterfinal appearance in the last four World Cups.
