Sights, sounds from USMNT loss to Belgium

The United States Men’s Soccer team’s World Cup run came to a crashing halt after a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the FIFA Round of 16 knockout stage at Seattle Stadium. The loss left many questions about the future of the USMNT and soccer in America. Despite the loss, the team’s World Cup run left a Nation a dissapointed but hopeful in the future of American soccer

IMAGES BY FRANCIE SCOTT

POST GAME VIDO

POST GAME NOTES

Goal Scoring Rundown: 

BEL – CHARLES DE KETELAERE (Nicolas Raskin), 9th minute: Working the ball from right to left in its attacking third, Leandro Trossard controlled a long switch near the end line. U.S. defender Alex Freeman blocked Trossard’s cross, then Nicolas Raskin collected the ball as it fell inside the USA penalty area and slipped toward the end line with his dribble. De Ketelaare beat the U.S. back line with a darting run and met the low cross into the six-yard box, finishing with a touch from close range. USA 0, BEL 1

USA – MALIK TILLMAN, 31st minute: Folarin Balogun drew a foul just beyond the top of the penalty arc to earn a free kick and the U.S. found the back of the net on its first shot of the match. Tillman’s right-footed strike caught a deflection off the head of a Belgian defender in the defensive wall that fooled goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and spun into the center of the net to level the match. USA 1, BEL 1

BEL – CHARLES DE KETELAERE (Leandro Trossard), 33rd minute: In a play that began similarly to the opening goal, Belgium worked the ball from the right to the left side of its attacking third. Trossard’s left-footed cross floated into the box and de Ketelaere rose over Tim Ream inside the six-yard box and drove a header into the upper right-side netting to secure his brace. USA 1, BEL 2

BEL – HANS VANAKEN (Charles de Ketelaere), 57th minute: A long ball got in behind USMNT’s backline, and Matt Freese left his line to gather the ball outside the penalty area. He did well to control the ballbut couldn’t fire off a clearance quick enough to diffuse the pressure from de Ketelaere, who knocked the ball to Vanaken. Tim Ream tried to backtrack to halt Vanaken’s shot, but the ball bounced twice and into an empty net. USA 1, BEL 3

BEL – ROMELO LUKAKU (Hans Vanaken), 90+3rd minute: After an attempted clearance ricocheted toward goal, two Belgian players double-teamed Chris Richards. The center back attempted escape, but Maxim De Cuyper made the interception, which knocked straight into the path of Lukaku. The efficient striker did the rest to roll a right-footed strike from the left side of the box into the lower right corner of the net. USA 1, BEL 4 FINAL

Additional Notes: 

• The U.S. has now scored in its last seven FIFA World Cup games.

• Malik Tillman is the second player on record (since 1966) to score two direct free kicks in a single FIFA World Cup after France’s Bernard Genghini accomplished the feat in 1982.

• Tillman becomes the first USMNT player to score in consecutive World Cup knockout stage matches.

• Mauricio Pochettino concludes the tournament with the most wins all-time at the FIFA World Cup for a USMNT manager.

• Seattle Sounders star Cristian Roldan did not dress.

–  U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT – 

Match: United States Men’s National Team vs. Belgium

Date: July 6, 2026  
Competition: 2026 FIFA World Cup – Round of 16

Venue: Seattle Stadium; Seattle Wash. 
Attendance: 66,925

Kickoff: 5 p.m. PT  
Weather: 81 degrees, sunny 

Scoring Summary	1	2	F
USA	1	0	1
BEL	2	2	4

BEL – Charles De Ketelaere (Nicolas Raskin)	9th minute
USA – Malik Tillman	31
BEL – Charles De Ketelaere (Leandro Trossard)	33
BEL – Hans Vanaken (Charles De Ketelaere)	57
USA – Romelo Lukaku (Hans Vanaken)	90+3′

Lineups: 

USA: 24-Matt Freese; 16-Alex Freeman, 3-Chris Richards 13-Tim Ream (Capt.); 5-Antonee Robinson (8-Max Arfsten, 90+2); 8-Weston McKennie, 4-Tyler Adams (9-Ricardo Pepi, 72),17-Malik Tillman, 2-Sergiño Dest (7-Gio Reyna, 45); 10-Christian Pulisic (14-Sebastian Berhalter, 59) 20-Folarin Balogun (19-Haji Wright, 90+2)

Substitutes not used: 1-Matt Turner, 25-Chris Brady, 6-Auston Trusty, 11-Brenden Aaronson, 12-Miles Robinson, 21-Tim Weah, 22-Mark McKenzie, 23-Joe Scally, 26-Alex Zendejas 

Head Coach: Mauricio Pochettino

BEL: 1-Thibaut Courtois; 21-Timothy Castagne, 4-Brandon Mechele, 25-Nathan Ngoy, 5-Maxim De Cuyper; 23-Nicolas Raskin (6-Axel Witsel, 89), 24-Amadou Onana (20-Hans Vanaken, 20); 14-Dodi Lukebakio(11-Jeremy Doku, 67), 8-Youri Tielemans (Capt.), 10-Leandro Trossard (22-Alexis Saelemaekers, 89), 17-Charles De Ketelaere (9-Romelu Lukaku, 67)

 
Substitutes not used: 12-Senne Lammens, 13-Mike Penders; 2-Zeno Debast, 3-Arthur Theate, 7-Kevin De Bruyne, 15-Thomas Meunier, 16-Koni De Winter, 18-Joaquin Seys, 19-Diego Moreira, 26-Matias Fernandez-Pardo

Head Coach: Rudi Garcia

Stats Summary: USA / BEL 
Shots: 7 / 15

Shots on Goal: 2 / 7

Saves: 3 / 1 
Corner Kicks: 3 / 5 
Fouls: 11 / 9 
Offsides: 0 / 1

Misconduct Summary:

USA – Weston McKennie (Caution)	35th minute
USA – Malik Tillman (Caution)	69

Officials: 

Referee: Adham Makhedmee (JOR)

Assistant 1: Mohammad Alkalaf (JOR)

Assistant 2: Ahmad Alroalle (JOR)

Fourth Official: Pierre Atcho (GAB)

Reserve Asst. Referee: Boris Ditsoga (GAB)

VAR 1: Khamis Almarri (QAT)

VAR 2: Nicolas Gallo (COL)

VAR 3: Hernan Mastrangelo (ARG)