FIFA World Cup 2026

'Overturn this' - Belgium taunt US and say Trump move fired them up​


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President Trump on Balogun red-card suspension

ByJoe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist
7 July 2026

Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said his team felt a "sense of injustice" over United States striker Folarin Balogun's one-match ban being suspended by Fifa shortly before their World Cup last-16 match.

Balogun, 25, appeared certain to miss the tie in Seattle after being shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round.

But on Sunday Fifa suspended the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, leading to widespread criticism, with Uefa, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel among those speaking out against the ruling.

On Monday US President Donald Trump said he asked Fifa to review Balogun's ban, which he said would have left a "big stain" on the tournament.

But, despite the American star striker being cleared to play and starting the match, Belgium convincingly beat the tournament co-hosts 4-1.

"A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days,"said Belgium and Rangers midfielder Raskin.

"There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field."

Belgium captain Youri Tielemans insisted the affair had boosted his side.

"We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That's what we did," he said.
 
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Donald Trump demands that FIFA "put an end to this stupid World Cup"'

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America should never have been awarded this tournament.
They kicked an African referee blatent racism
they were inhospitable and unfairly treated Iranian team by not allowing their support staff. petty petty fkn shits lead by a petty fkn shit

then to top it off they cheated


Wat a shower of shit
 

Spain win it late to bid farewell to Ronaldo​


Substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner to put them in the quarter-finals

AFP
July 07, 2026

tribune


ARLINGTON: Substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner to put Spain in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Portugal and end Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career on Monday.

The European champions will face the United States -- the only one of the co-hosts remaining -- or Belgium on Friday in Los Angeles.

In front of an expectant crowd of 70,649 at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys, a match that on paper promised so much failed to really deliver.

Extra time looked certain, before fellow substitute Ferran Torres slipped in Merino to settle the contest in the first minute of injury time.

It meant a sour final World Cup match for the 41-year-old Ronaldo, now playing in Saudi Arabia, having confirmed on the eve of the encounter that this would be his last dance on football's biggest stage.

The neighbours came into the contest both unbeaten, but while Portugal had not been entirely convincing, Spain had not even conceded a goal in the tournament.

One of the pre-tournament favourites, they still haven't.

For all their pedigree, talent and history, Spain have only lifted the World Cup once, in 2010, while Portugal's best was third place in 1966.

In Ronaldo and Spain's 18-year-old Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, the last-16 showdown was touted as a showcase of two extraordinary talents at opposite ends of their careers.

There was a sombre moment shortly before kickoff when a black-and-white image of the late Portugal forward Diogo Jota flashed up on the giant screen that looms over the field.
 
Aryan_B said:
America should never have been awarded this tournament.
They kicked an African referee blatent racism
they were inhospitable and unfairly treated Iranian team by not allowing their support staff. petty petty fkn shits lead by a petty fkn shit

then to top it off they cheated


Wat a shower of shit
Click to expand...



Look at FIFA treatment of Iran!

A Victory for football, a victory for fair play against cheats and corruption, a victory for professionalism rather than hype . Well done Belgium you saved football last night 🇧🇪 👏 👏 👏
 
hussain0216 said:
The U.S team is actually not that bad, both it, it's domestic system and fans have come a long long way

And I wouldn't be surprised the U.S sporting system and money pushes the U.S into regular world cup contention in future

But Trump and this stupid saga, mixed with world politics, war, Gaza just made the U.S team into a target

And this Trump red card intervention just took away from the team and game and made a massive unnecessary issue and now everyone is celebrating a U.S defeat

Keep politics out of sports
Click to expand...
I have a friend / coworker who is a sports fanatic. You name the sport, he can cite statistics like no other. Encyclopedic memory. He and I were chatting after the game last night. In its entirety, here is what he wrote:

"The better team won. US soccer not at the European quality. Lack situational awareness and countermeasures. They played to the level they could survive.

Argentina and Colombia are the top America regional teams. Let's see if they prevail tomorrow. Then to challenge each other in the quarterfinal match on Saturday in Kansas City."
 
A sly FIFA rebuke to Trump ?

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