USMNT Eliminated from World Cup by Belgium

SEATTLE — Stepping out on Monday afternoon felt curiously festive. Seattle seemed to be in a pause; it was as though everyone was revved up but nobody was working.

This moment felt like the breakthrough that soccer has long sought in America.

Then the focus turned to the U.S. men’s national team, as they faced elimination.

After capturing the nation’s attention for most of the month, the Americans fell to Belgium, losing 4-1 and reaching the same round-of-16 hurdle they haven’t cleared since 2002.

Under the guidance of renowned coach Mauricio Pochettino, this talented squad still fell short compared to those before them.

Folarin Balogun, who stirred up controversy at the World Cup after a suspension for a red card, wasn’t able to turn the tide for the USMNT. Honestly, it felt like nothing could be done.

He looked nervous, unsteady—definitely not ready for such a critical match. Meanwhile, Sergiño Dest and Alex Freeman struggled with basic touch, and overall, the team just wasn’t at its best.

The U.S. was on the back foot for the first 45 minutes, which made it almost surprising to leave halftime only down 2-1. Still, they didn’t make the most of that opportunity.

Bringing on Gio Reyna for Dest at halftime seemed promising, but the upswing didn’t last. A shocking moment unfolded in the 57th minute when Matt Freeze fouled outside the box, allowing Charles de Quetelaere to quickly find Hans Vanaken, who slotted home the third goal.

Christian Pulisic took a hit from Youri Tielemans as he went for a shot early in the second half, and while he took some time to recover, he was soon subbed out for Sebastian Berhalter. After a thrilling opening into the tournament, Pulisic’s World Cup momentum had clearly fizzled out.

When Pochettino needed to adapt, the team’s lack of depth, a known issue, really became apparent. Substitutes Reyna, Berhalter, and Ricardo Pepi made little impact. Even with two substitutions left until stoppage time, Pochettino held off, showing the team’s limitations. Just as Hadji Wright and Max Alfsten came on, Belgium secured their fourth goal, courtesy of Romelu Lukaku.

The inclusion of Balogun will likely be viewed as a form of ironic justice in the sports community outside the U.S. To complicate matters, he didn’t make a noticeable impact during the match, in part because he received inadequate service.

The game started worrisomely for the U.S., with Freeze making a diving save just 45 seconds in, and they never quite recovered. It took only nine minutes for De Ketalaele to score as Freeman’s clearance didn’t connect, allowing Nicolas Raskin to reclaim the ball and set up De Ketalaele.

Malik Tillman finally got a goal in the 31st minute, a nice knuckleball that surprised Courtois, serving as the USMNT’s first shot and a glimmer of hope.

Just a little over two minutes later, the U.S. faltered again. In the 33rd minute, De Ketaraele headed in Leandro Trossard’s cross, giving Belgium a 2-1 lead.

The Belgian coach, Rudi Garcia, made bold changes that paid off, with Raskin and Dodi Lukebakio stepping in for star players Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku, and they were dominant.

Maybe it didn’t matter who played for Belgium; the USMNT seemed overwhelmed by the weight of this opportunity. Perhaps Balogun’s return was too much pressure, or it caused Pochettino to change his tactics.

This was a hard letdown; the team appeared confident and prepared for the spotlight in their earlier matches throughout the tournament.

Despite previous successes, it’s tough to shake off the feeling that all of that now feels insignificant.

This rare opportunity has slipped away, and despite their potential, the U.S. couldn’t capitalize on it.