'Overturn this' – Belgium taunt US after Trump-influenced FIFA ban suspension

Belgium's national team felt a profound "sense of injustice" after FIFA controversially suspended a one-match ban for United States striker Folarin Balogun just before their World Cup last-16 clash. Balogun had initially been set to miss the game in Seattle after receiving a straight red card in the previous round.

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A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days. There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field.

FIFA's decision to suspend the automatic ban for 12 months drew widespread criticism from UEFA, Belgium, and England coach Thomas Tuchel. Adding to the controversy, US President Donald Trump announced he had asked FIFA to review the ban, arguing its enforcement would have left a "big stain" on the tournament.

Despite the American star striker being cleared to play and starting the match, Belgium delivered a dominant performance, convincingly beating the co-hosts 4-1. "A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days," said Belgium and Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin. "There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field."

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We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That's what we did.

Captain Youri Tielemans echoed this sentiment, insisting the affair had fueled his team's determination. "We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That's what we did," he stated. Following Belgium's fourth goal, several players were seen dancing in a style reminiscent of the 'Trump dance,' a move that gained notoriety during the 2024 US presidential campaign. The official Instagram account for the Belgium national team further taunted the situation, posting a picture of striker Romelu Lukaku cupping his ear with the caption "overturn this."

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overturn this