Trump trolled by Belgium players after USA's 4-1 World Cup defeat despite personal FIFA call
United States President Donald Trump was seemingly 'trolled' by Belgium players after the USA was knocked out of the World Cup following a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in Seattle.
Star USA player Folarin Balogun was included in the starting line-up after the one-match ban he incurred for his dismissal during the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the previous round was controversially suspended, with Trump revealing he had asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the situation.
According to The Guardian, sources said the 80-year-old US president made several calls to FIFA in an attempt to push for the suspension to be overturned.
Once the decision became official, Trump took to Truth Social to write: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"
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"I'm the one that got them to do it," Trump also declared while speaking at the White House.
In a strongly worded statement, the Royal Belgium Football Association accused FIFA of contradicting its own regulations and suggested legal action could still follow.
"We are astonished by this decision," the statement read. "This decision is in direct contradiction to the provisions of the World Cup 2026 competition regulations.
"The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in World Cup 2026 Circular No 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026. The same rule is reiterated at every match coordination meeting before each match and all World Cup 2026 workshop presentations.
"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the Belgian FA is investigating all potential options."
In a statement on Monday (6 July), FIFA confirmed that Belgium's appeal had been 'rendered inadmissible'.
"The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the RBFA [Royal Belgian Football Association] is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision," it explained.
Despite Trump's controversial intervention, which was criticised by many across the globe as corruption, allowing for Balogun’s inclusion, the USA didn't clinch the victory.
After the game, Belgium players gathered in a circle and performed a celebratory dance which social media users were convinced was a mockery of Trump's very particular style of dancing seen at numerous public events.
The dance in question features a steady hip-rocking and arm-pumping combo, a move which became synonymous with Trump during his 2024 election campaign.
One X user chirped: "Belgium did the Trump dance after beating USA."
"OMG… Here’s Belgium team trolling Donald Trump with his stupid dance!" penned a second as a third chimed in: "Belgium was MOCKING Trump at the end of the game."
A fourth piped up: "The #Belgium national team is mocking Trump and in their own home."
"Belgium doing the 'Trump Dance' after eliminating USA from the World Cup, NEXT LEVEL TROLLING," gushed a fifth.
Another agreed: "Top trolling from Belgium. Belgium hammer the USA 4-1 in their own backyard and the players mock Donald Trump by doing his dance."
And a final X user echoed: "Belgium did the Trump dance after their fourth goal against us. I can’t help but respect this trash talk. They whipped us, they get to dance."
And the mockery didn't stop on the pitch as Belgium's official Instagram account later posted a photo of Romelu Lukaku cupping his ear to the crowd alongside the caption 'Overturn this' - a clear reference to the FIFA controversy which made headlines this week.
Tyla previously contacted the White House and FIFA for comment.
2026 World Cup results so far
Tuesday 7 July
Round of 16 - Match 94: USA vs Belgium, 1-4
Monday 6 July
Round of 16 - Match 92: Mexico vs England, 2-3
Round of 16 - Match 93: Portugal vs Spain, 0-1
Sunday 5 July
Round of 16 - Match 91: Brazil vs Norway, 1-2
Saturday 4 July
Round of 32 - Match 87: Colombia vs Ghana, 1-0
Round of 16 - Match 90: Canada vs Morocco, 0-3
Round of 16 - Match 89: Paraguay vs France, 0-1
Friday 3 July
Round of 32 - Match 83: Portugal vs Croatia, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 85: Switzerland vs Algeria, 2-0
Round of 32 - Match 88: Australia vs Egypt, 1-1 (2-4 on penalties)
Round of 32 - Match 86: Argentina vs Cabo Verde, 3-2
Thursday, 2 July
Round of 32 - Match 81: USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovnia, 2-0
Round of 32 - Match 84: Spain vs Austria, 3-0
Wednesday, 1 July
Round of 32 - Match 79: Mexico vs Ecuador, 2-0
Round of 32 - Match 80: England vs DR Congo, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 82: Belgium vs Senegal, 3-2
Tuesday, 30 June
Round of 32 - Match 75: Netherlands vs Morocco, 1-1 (3-2)
Round of 32 - Match 78: Ivory Coast vs Norway, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 77: France vs Sweden, 3-0
Monday, 29 June
Round of 32 - Match 76: Brazil vs Japan, 2-1
Round of 32 - Match 74: Germany vs Paraguay, 1-1 (4-3)
Sunday, 28 June
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, 0-0
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, 3-1
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, 3-3
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, 3-1
Round of 32 - Match 73: South Africa vs Canada, 1-0
Saturday, 27 June
Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, 0-0
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, 1-0
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, 5-1
Group G: Egypt vs Iran, 1-1
Group L: Panama vs England, 2-0
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, 2-1
Friday, 26 June
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, 5-0
Group I: Norway vs France, 4-1
Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, 3-1
Group F: Japan vs Sweden, 1-1
Group D: Türkiye vs USA, 3-2
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, 0-0
Thursday, 25 June
Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, 1-0
Group A: Mexico vs Czech Republic, 3-0
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, 2-0
Group E: Germany vs Ecuador, 2-1
Wednesday, 24 June
Group C: Brazil vs Scotland, 3-0
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, 4-2
Group B: Qatar vs Bosnia-Herzegovnia, 3-1
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, 2-1
Group L: Panama vs Croatia, 1-0
Group L: Colombia vs DR Congo, 1-0
Tuesday, 23 June
Group I: Norway vs Senegal, 3-2
Group J: Algeria vs Jordan, 2-1
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, 5-0
Group L: England vs Ghana, 0-0
Monday, 22 June
Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, 1-3
Group J: Argentina vs Austria, 2-0
Group I: France vs Iraq, 3-0
Sunday, 21 June
Group E: Ecuador vs Curaçao, 0-0
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, 0-4
Group G: Belgium vs Iran, 0-0
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, 4-0
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, 2-2
Saturday, 20 June
Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, 3-0
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, 0-1
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, 2-1
Group F: Netherlands vs Sweden, 5-1
Friday, 19 June
Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, 1-0
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, 0-1
Group D: USA vs Australia, 2-0
Thursday 18 June
Group L: Ghana vs Panama, 1-0
Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, 1-3
Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, 1-1
Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 4-1
Group B: Canada vs Qatar, 6-0
Wednesday 17 June
Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, 1-1
Group L: England vs Croatia, 4-2
Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, 3-0
Group J: Austria vs Jordan, 3-1
Tuesday 16 June
Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, 2-2
Group I: France vs Senegal, 3-1
Group I: Iraq vs Norway, 1-4
Monday, 15 June
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, 1-0
Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, 5-1
Sunday, 14 June
Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, 0-1
Group D: Australia vs Turkey, 2-0
Group E: Germany vs Curaçao, 7-1
Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, 2-2
Saturday, 13 June
Group D: USA vs Paraguay, 4-1
Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, 1-1
Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, 1-1
Friday, 12 June
Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, 2-1
Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 1-1
Thursday, 11 June
Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, 2-0
Topics: US News, World Cup, World News, Politics, Donald Trump
Rhiannon Ingle