“Hello, Donald?” Belgian press reacts to U.S. soccer team’s elimination

Belgian media outlets celebrated their national soccer team's decisive 4-1 victory over the United States, but much of the coverage focused on an ironic and defiant tone, particularly concerning a controversy around player Folarin Balogun.

Francophone daily Le Soir ran the headline “Hola, ¿Donald?” alongside an image of Romelu Lukaku mimicking Trump’s signature dance. Het Laatste Nieuws similarly quipped, “What will Donald Trump think of this?” after the U.S. defeat. La Libre deemed the president's intervention “useless,” asserting Belgium displayed its best form against a clearly outmatched opponent. De Standaard emphasized that regardless of FIFA’s controversial decision, the Red Devils “authoritatively sent the United States home.”

The controversy also spilled onto social media, with the Belgian national team's official X account posting a provocative message: “Anula esta” (Cancel this), directly referencing the decision that allowed Balogun to play in the match.

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Hola, ¿Donald?

As Belgium celebrates, attention turns to the quarterfinals where they will face Spain on Friday in Los Angeles. Flemish public broadcaster VRT noted the more favorable schedule but warned of Spain’s solid defense, calling them “impenetrable.” VRT also identified Lamine Yamal as a key threat, describing him as “an unpredictable fury,” though acknowledging Spain’s uneven start.

Francophone broadcaster RTBF anticipates a complex duel for Belgium, stating they must “defy statistics” against a historically unfavorable opponent. Records show Spain leads their 23 previous encounters with 12 wins to Belgium's 6, with 5 draws. Belgium’s last victory against Spain was in the 1986 World Cup, where they eliminated them on penalties.

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enviaron a Estados Unidos a casa con autoridad