Belgium Thrashes USA 4-1; Raskin: Justice Ultimately Prevails

2026 World Cup Key News

Central Message

(Seattle, July 6, CNA, Reuters) Belgian midfielder Raskin stated that the team's 4-1 victory over the United States in the World Cup today felt like justice served. He said this because US forward Balogun, who should have been automatically suspended for one match after receiving a red card in the previous game, was still allowed to play in today's match against Belgium.

Reuters reported that on July 1, the US team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32. Forward Folarin Balogun was shown a red card in the 64th minute for stepping on an opponent's ankle while contesting the ball. According to regulations, he was automatically suspended for the next match and unable to play in today's Round of 16 match against Belgium.

However, US President Donald Trump telephoned FIFA President Gianni Infantino, requesting a review of the red card decision against Balogun. FIFA later invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary regulations, "Suspension with deferred effect," allowing Balogun to play today without the red card being rescinded.

This decision drew widespread criticism, including from the Belgian Football Association, which questioned Balogun's eligibility hours before the match, but their challenge was unsuccessful.

Ultimately, Belgium responded to the controversy with their performance on the field, defeating host nation USA 4-1 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin told reporters after the match, "As I said, I believe there is justice in the world. You can interpret it however you want, but we felt it wasn't fair."

Belgium's official Instagram account posted a celebratory photo of veteran Romelu Lukaku scoring the fourth goal, with the caption: "Overturn this."

However, Belgian head coach Rudi Garcia downplayed the controversy in his post-match press conference. When asked if it motivated the players, he said, "No, it wasn't necessary... For us, the most important thing was the game plan."

He added that he spoke with Balogun after the match, "He came to me proactively, and I appreciated that." He continued, "It's not his fault, he can't be blamed, and I told him that."

Belgium will face Spain on July 10 (Taiwan time July 11) for a spot in the semifinals. (Compiled by Tsai Chia-min) 1150707

Stand with facts. Your every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom.

Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP to get the latest news in real-time.

Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.