The Belgian national team convincingly cruised into the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup after defeating hosts United States with a resounding 4-1 scoreline. The Round of 16 match, which took place in Seattle on Tuesday (7/7/2026), showcased the tactical dominance of the Belgian squad, who pressed from the opening whistle.
Charles De Ketelaere was the main protagonist in this victory, contributing two crucial goals. Belgium opened the scoring just nine minutes into the match, capitalizing on a lapse in the opponent's defense. Although the United States briefly leveled the score through a Malik Tillman free kick in the 31st minute, Belgium responded quickly with a De Ketelaere header just two minutes later to close the first half with a 2-1 lead.
Entering the second half, the United States' mentality seemed shaken after a misjudgment by goalkeeper Matt Freese in the 57th minute allowed Hans Vanaken to widen the gap to 3-1. The situation worsened with an injury to USA captain Christian Pulisic, forcing him off the pitch early and disrupting the home team's rhythm.
Belgium's dominance became increasingly unstoppable after the coach refreshed the squad by bringing on Romelu Lukaku and Jeremy Doku. During injury time, Lukaku successfully sealed the victory for Belgium by scoring the final goal in the 90+3rd minute. With this result, Belgium is scheduled to face Spain in the battle for a ticket to the semi-finals.
