Belgium mocks Trump after World Cup win over US

Belgian players celebrated their decisive 4-1 victory over the United States in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 by performing a "Trump dance," a mocking gesture referencing U.S. President Donald Trump's signature moves. The celebration, posted on the Belgian team's official social media with the caption "Overturn this," came amid controversy over Trump's alleged intervention in the suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun.

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What I did was ask for a review. I didn't tell them to do it. It wasn't a foul, it wasn't a violation.

Balogun was initially set to miss the match against Belgium after receiving a red card in a previous game. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee controversially suspended his one-game ban for one year. President Trump confirmed he had spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, requesting a review of the decision. He argued that suspending a player before a future match was unfair, though he denied dictating the outcome. This unprecedented political interference drew sharp criticism from European football bodies, including UEFA, which called FIFA's decision "unprecedented, inexplicable, and unjustifiable."

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FIFA's judicial bodies operate independently and autonomously.

Despite the political maneuvering and home advantage, the U.S. team failed to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. Balogun started the match against Belgium but was unable to score, and the U.S. ultimately lost. NBC Sports suggested that Trump's involvement may have backfired, potentially weakening the U.S. team's argument of unfairness and providing extra motivation for the Belgian players.

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This is an unprecedented, inexplicable, and unjustifiable decision.