Belgium celebrated their emphatic World Cup victory over the United States with a moment that quickly became one of the tournament’s biggest talking points.
After defeating the hosts 4-1 and ending America’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals, several Belgium players were seen performing Donald Trump’s famous dance during their celebrations inside the dressing room.
The Belgium national team mocked President Trump by performing his signature ‘dance’ after beating the United States in the Round of 16 at the World Cup – eliminating them from play
The players performed the same move after their fourth goal of the evening
This comes after President Trump called FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and asked him to ‘review’ the red card suspension of USMNT striker Folarin Balogun – which proved to be successful
The gesture came after days of controversy surrounding USA striker Folarin Balogun. The forward had originally been facing a suspension following a red card, but FIFA later suspended the ban, allowing him to play against Belgium.
The decision attracted huge attention after President Trump confirmed he had spoken with FIFA president Gianni Infantino about the situation. FIFA stated that the matter was handled through its disciplinary process, but the decision created fierce debate across the football world.
Belgium were unhappy with the situation and appealed the decision before the match, but their request was rejected. Once the game started, the Belgian players delivered their response on the pitch.
The Red Devils dominated the contest, with Romelu Lukaku among the stars of the night. After scoring Belgium’s fourth goal, Lukaku and his teammates appeared to perform the Trump-style dance celebration on the pitch before repeating the move later in the dressing room.
Balogun was sent off for this tackle against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32
Trump called FIFA chief Infantino to ask him to suspend the one-match ban. After a review process, the governing body did just that – clearing Balogun to play the Belgians.
Belgium then had an appeal of Balogun’s suspended ban rejected by FIFA on Monday
Footage from inside the locker room showed several players joining in the celebration after securing a famous victory. The moment spread quickly online, with fans debating whether it was simply a joke or a direct response to the controversy before the game.
Despite the heated build-up, Belgium manager Rudi Garcia later praised Balogun after the American forward approached him following the match. Garcia said he appreciated the gesture and made clear that Balogun himself was not responsible for the situation.
For Belgium, the result was the perfect answer after a difficult few days. For Team USA, the dream of a deep World Cup run ended in painful fashion on home soil.
The 4-1 defeat will be remembered not only for Belgium’s performance but also for a celebration that turned a major World Cup controversy into a viral moment.
