Seattle, 6 July 2026 – The host nation's dream is over. Belgium defeated the USA 4-1 in the World Cup round of 16 at Lumen Field, giving the Americans no way back in front of their own supporters. The Belgians had already knocked the USA out at the same knockout round stage in 2014 – this time the verdict was even more emphatic.
De Ketelaere strikes early – USA levels briefly
Charles De Ketelaere, the 6'4" Atalanta Bergamo striker, opened the scoring in the 9th minute. After a defensive error, the USA failed to clear decisively; De Ketelaere was perfectly placed and tapped home to make it 0-1. Raskin provided the assist. The Americans initially had no answer to Belgium's pressing structure in their 4-2-3-1 shape.
In the 31st minute, Malik Leon Tillman hit back. The Leverkusen midfielder, born in Nuremberg, who had already scored with a free kick against Bosnia-Herzegovina, converted a direct free kick from around 25 yards – the ball deflected off the head of a Belgian in the wall and found the net to make it 1-1. The 68,000 fans inside Lumen Field erupted. But the joy lasted just two minutes: in the 33rd minute, Leandro Trossard crossed from the left, De Ketelaere rose highest and headed home to restore Belgium's lead at 1-2. Belgium exploited their physical presence in the box as a clear structural advantage.
Vanaken extends the lead after the break – Lukaku wraps it up
At half-time, Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia – in charge since January 2025 – had already introduced Hans Vanaken for Onana in the 21st minute, a decision that paid dividends in the second half. In the 57th minute, US goalkeeper Matt Freese made a costly error: he hesitated in possession, De Ketelaere poked the ball away to Vanaken, who chipped it from deep over the advancing keeper into the empty net – 1-3. The three-time Belgian Footballer of the Year played a decisive role in putting the result beyond doubt.
The USA attempted to reshape things after the hour mark: Reyna had already come on for Dest at half-time, and in the 59th minute Berhalter replaced the ineffective Pulisic. Belgium were unfazed. In the 67th minute, Garcia introduced fresh attacking impetus in the shape of Romelu Lukaku Bolingoli and Doku. The final word went to Lukaku in the 93rd minute: after a defensive error from Chris Richards, the ball fell to Lukaku, who cut in from the right and finished low into the bottom corner – 1-4. For Belgium's all-time leading scorer, who sits second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the European international goalscoring charts with over 92 international goals, it was already his seventh World Cup goal at this tournament – a Belgian record.
Assessment: Belgium too strong for overwhelmed hosts
The USA, who had entered the tournament under manager Mauricio Pochettino with the stated ambition of going deep as the host nation, are eliminated in the second knockout round of this expanded 48-team format. The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 participants – split across 12 groups of four teams, from which 32 sides advanced to the knockout rounds (the 12 group winners, 12 runners-up, and the 8 best third-placed teams), with the round of 64 serving as the opening knockout stage. The round of 16 was therefore already the second knockout round. Belgium demonstrated tactical maturity and individual quality throughout 90 minutes – above all in the shape of Charles De Ketelaere, who claimed the man-of-the-match award with two goals and an assist. The Red Devils now await their next opponents in the quarter-final.
