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US Thrashed 4-1 by Belgium; Trump-Prompted Ban Reversal

7/11/2026

49 10 Full Breakdown

Summary

U.S. Eliminated

The United States lost 4–1 to Belgium on July 6 in the round of 16 at Seattle.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino said the team never connected and praised Belgium’s superiority.
FIFA lifted Balogun’s one-year red-card ban after President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Pochettino’s contract expires this summer, prompting U.S. Soccer to discuss an extension, while the U.S.–Belgium match averaged 33 million viewers on Fox.

Summary

Spain Semifinal

A fan poll by SB Nation’s World Cup Reacts and FanDuel gave Norway 53% of votes, England 12%, Morocco, Messi and Argentina each 9%, and France and Mbappé each 8%.
Spain will meet Belgium in a semifinal at Los Angeles Stadium, kicking off at 3 pm Eastern on Fox and Telemundo.
Belgium advanced after draws with Egypt and Iran, a win over New Zealand and a comeback versus Senegal, challenging Spain’s possession style.

History

Historical Context

France hosted the 1998 World Cup, expanding the finals to 32 teams and staging the 12 July final at Stade de France where Zinedine Zidane’s two headers gave a 3-0 win over Brazil before an estimated 1.3 billion TV viewers. That global exposure mirrors today’s Belgium 4-1 win over the United States on 6 July, which drew 33 million viewers and spurred calls for reform from Donald Trump and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.

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U.S. Eliminated

The United States lost 4–1 to Belgium on July 6 in the round of 16 at Seattle.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino said the team never connected and praised Belgium’s superiority.
FIFA lifted Balogun’s one-year red-card ban after President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Pochettino’s contract expires this summer, prompting U.S. Soccer to discuss an extension, while the U.S.–Belgium match averaged 33 million viewers on Fox.

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