Belgium teases Donald Trump with two tough moves after beating the United States badly
Romelu Lukaku and his Belgium teammates seemed to take a cheeky jab at US President Donald Trump as they cruised to a big win in Seattle. Belgium punched their ticket to the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday night with goals from Charles De Ketelaere (2), Hans Vanaken, and Romelu Lukaku, sealing an impressive 4-1 victory at Lumen Field.
After some controversy leading up to the game, it was a rewarding win for Rudi Garcia’s team, who will face Spain on Friday (July 10). Just days before the match, FIFA surprised many by suspending Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban. He had been sent off in the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina last week.
UEFA wasn’t happy, calling FIFA’s move “incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” and the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said they were “astonished” by the decision. Meanwhile, Donald Trump said he reached out to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for the ban to be reviewed, even claiming in a White House speech that he was “the one that got them to do it.”
Earlier Monday, the RBFA appealed the decision, but FIFA’s Appeals Committee quickly rejected it. On the field, Belgium made the most of their moment. After Lukaku’s goal in stoppage time made it 4-1, some players showed a dance that seemed to tease President Trump’s own famous dance moves—the “Trump dance,” inspired by him dancing to “Y.M.C.A.” during his campaign.
Right after the full-time whistle, Belgium’s official social media posted a photo of Lukaku celebrating with the caption: “Overturn this.” A few days after FIFA’s decision to suspend Balogun’s ban, Gianni Infantino addressed the situation on UEFA’s social channels. He confirmed he had spoken with Trump about it.
Infantino said, “I’ve seen the comments about the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision on suspending Folarin Balogun’s ban. I want to remind everyone that FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They work on their own, follow our rules, and make decisions based on the facts. This independence is key to keeping football fair and trustworthy.
“Yes, I often talk about World Cup matters with the US President, and I did get a call from President Trump about this issue, just like I hear from world leaders, football officials, and business people about many topics.
“During our call, I told him the case was still in the hands of FIFA’s independent judicial bodies, and they would decide in their own time. That’s how FIFA works, and I will always stick to that principle.
“I read these decisions when they come out. Sometimes I’m surprised, sometimes I agree, other times not. But I always respect the decisions and the independence of those who make them. Whether we like a decision or not, respecting these independent bodies and the rule of law protects the fairness of our competitions and FIFA’s trustworthiness.”