Nervy USMNT Falls to Belgium, World Cup Ends

By Daniel Feuerstein | Seattle, WA | July 6th, 2026

The U.S. Men’s National Team were the last Host Nation, CONCACAF participant in the FIFA World Cup as they were facing Belgium to make the attempt to reach the Quarterfinals since the 2002 World Cup. While they are facing a Belgium side that hasn’t played like they did four years ago, they were still good enough to give them a strong challenge. Once the opening whistle blew, right away the USA just didn’t have it for the opening 45 minute, made multiple errors and when they looked like they fixed things, a free chance was given and got scored on. Once the 90 minutes were done, the USA was eliminated from the World Cup as Belgium took the victory by the final score of four goals to one.

Charles DeKetelaere’s Brace puts Belgium ahead

The USA kept failing to keep the ball out of their net as Charles DeKetelaere took advantage of the space the backline presented to him and scored two goals in the match. The first one was off of a scramble just outside the area and then brought back in by Nicolas Raskin. As he entered the area along the near side, the USA backline looked a bit timid and allowed the space for the ball to passed across the area, and that allowed DeKetelaere to walk in and easily push the ball past Matt Freese in the 9th minute. Just a poor display of ball watching and not being dynamic enough to stop the cross.

The second goal came on pure will from DeKetelaere as he took advantage of another poor defensive play. The USA were pressured again by the Belgium attack after scoring their equalizer. The backline once again failed to defend the attack as Leandro Trossard received the ball at the near side. DeKetelaere was being defended by Tim Ream and when the ball was crossed to the far side of the USA area, Ream tried to body off his man, but stayed grounded while DeKetelaere leapt in the air and headed the ball inside the far post to beat Freese in the 33rd minute to regain the one goal lead.

Malik Tillman Smashes one home

The USA got a goal to level the match at the time when Folarin Balogun was shoved down from behind when he had control of the ball and the referee blew his whistle for a free kick just about five yards away from the Belgium area. Malik Tillman stood by the ball and surveyed the wall to see where he would put the ball when he was about to strike it on frame. When the whistle sounded, Tillman took the free kick and blasted it toward the net. While it did take a deflection off the wall, Thibaut Courtois was beaten and Tillman for the second game win a row scores a free kick goal in the 31st minute.

Pulisic limps around injured, Matt Freese hiccups, Belgium scores a free shot

Mauricio Pochettino made a substitution at halftime bringing in Gio Reyna and sitting down Sergino Dest. When the referee restarted the match, that substitution worked and the USA had more confidence, made stronger attacking runs and looked threatening. While they weren’t connecting in the final third, they looked better in the match, until two moments ruined the USA’s chances of tying the match. Christian Pulisic had the ball near the Belgium area, but he was caught from behind by Youri Tielemans as he was stripped of the ball and attempted a shot but struck Tielemans left ankle and injured himself in the 52nd minute

Pulisic was still struggling on the pitch as he was limping around and wasn’t going down to the floor to get medical treatment, nor was a sub coming at the same time. That’s when Matt Freese was put in a tough spot that he was forced to go towards. As the ball was played all the way down towards his area, Freese came well off his line and outside the area to control the ball. As he was looking to clear it up the field, he felt someone was coming up behind him and all of a sudden froze. Then lost the ball to DeKetelaere as he sent it to Hans Vanaken and with only Tim Ream trying to block the shot, couldn’t and the ball is in the back of the net in the 57th minute.

Lukaku with the final tally and another disappointing finish for the USA

All throughout the second half the USA was trying to cut the deficit again by a goal, but nothing was working for them. They had a chance from Sebastian Berhalter but the shot was just wide from outside the area. Belgium continued to work on the USA and inside second half stoppage time veteran goal scorer Romelu Lukaku took his chance and scored in the third minute of four in second half stoppage time to put the exclamation point on the match. It was a complete shambles from the U.S. Men’s National Team who started on fire in their first four games until this one against Belgium.

They were taken advantage of and even though this Belgium side wasn’t as strong as they have been in years past, they were still good enough to dominate the match and end the run for the last of the three host nations in this World Cup. The hope now is Mauricio Pochettino remains with US Soccer and has a full four year cycle for the 2030 World Cup, but for now, Belgium has the last word and they will be moving on to face Spain in the Quarterfinals.

Belgium takes out the USA and heads to the Quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

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