Belgium Triumphs Over USA in FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16
Courtois Expresses Disrespect Felt
Thibaut Courtois, the goalkeeper for Belgium, expressed that his team responded strongly after feeling disrespected in the United States. This sentiment followed Belgium's impressive 4-1 win against the U.S. in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
In an interview with a Belgian broadcaster after the match, Courtois remarked that they had silenced those who believed the U.S. would easily defeat them. He stated, "Recently, we felt a lack of respect here in the U.S. It was suggested they could easily beat us, but today we demonstrated that we are a formidable team. We played exceptionally well."
Confidence Boosted Despite Controversy
Courtois also addressed the situation regarding U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was lifted by FIFA just before the match, allowing him to play against Belgium. He mentioned, "All the pre-match talk didn’t really affect us. I found it amusing. Honestly, I felt more confident about winning today than I did against Senegal, who were a stronger opponent than the U.S., and that was evident in the game."
Belgium Advances to Quarter-Finals
Belgium secured their place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a decisive 4-1 victory over the United States at Seattle Stadium. Charles De Ketelaere was a standout performer, scoring two goals and earning the Player of the Match title. Hans Vanaken netted his first World Cup goal, while Romelu Lukaku added a late goal, marking his third consecutive World Cup match with a score.
Despite a brief equalizer from the U.S. through Malik Tillman's deflected free-kick, Belgium maintained control of the match. A significant error from U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese allowed Belgium to extend their lead before Lukaku capped off the victory. This loss concluded the U.S. campaign, making them the last of the three co-host nations to exit the tournament, following Canada and Mexico. Belgium will face Spain in the quarter-finals on July 10, after Spain eliminated Portugal in the Round of 16.