You know how Prince William is a jinx for England’s football team? Well, Donald Trump has the same powerful jinxing abilities. Whenever he throws his support behind a particular athlete or team, they lose or get crushed or get into a drugged-out car accident. In the past week, Trump apparently worked overtime (lol) to get FIFA to remove Folarin Balogun’s suspension from the USMNT’s round-of-16 match against Belgium. There was chaos for about 48 hours but Balogun’s suspension was lifted. The USMNT still got their asses handed to them by Belgium. It’s crazy that all three host countries (Canada, USA and Mexico) went out in the round of 16.
The United States was eliminated from its own World Cup after falling to a timid 4-1 defeat by Belgium in Seattle.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side lit up the early stages of this tournament with its freewheeling attacking style, but it fell apart against a vastly improved Belgium.
Charles De Ketelaere scored two first-half goals either side of Malik Tillman’s deflected free kick, before U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese made a terrible error when he was caught dawdling in possession, allowing Hans Vanaken to fire into an empty net.
Romelu Lukaku added insult to injury with Belgium’s fourth goal in stoppage time.
The USMNT’s exit means all three host nations fell at the round-of-16 stage, with Belgium advancing to face Spain in Los Angeles for a place in the final four.
So what are the takeaways from all of this? One of my takeaways was that I was correct to not get too invested in the USMNT because American men will always disappoint me (and everyone else). Another big takeaway? If you’re an American athlete or a team, pray that Donald Trump doesn’t come to your sporting event or praise you in any way or do crimes on your behalf. Trump’s jinxing properties are insane – I guess the Wiccan community was telling the truth about the dark and powerful malevolence around Trump. PS… I guess I’m supporting Norway now? I’ve become obsessed with Erling Haaland.
Getting dogwalked by a washed Belgium after getting the president to rig the game, maybe the most embarrassing performance of this tournament
— Slazac 🇪🇺🇺🇦🇹🇼🌐 (@TrueSlazac) July 7, 2026
Belgium does Donald Trump dance goal celebration during embarrassing USA World Cup rout https://t.co/7nq6Ltfpek pic.twitter.com/AuWfVsKIiu
— New York Post (@nypost) July 7, 2026
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- Washington, DC – United States President Donald J Trump holds up the charter of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 while Gianni Infantino, President, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), looks on during a meeting of the task force in the East Room of the White House. Pictured: Trump BACKGRID USA 6 MAY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball U.S. President Donald Trump dances to the final performance of the Village People during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON DC United States Copyright: xWilliamxVolcovx,Image: 1056800909, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/William Volcov/Avalon
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- Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball U.S. President Donald Trump dances to the final performance of the Village People during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON DC United States Copyright: xWilliamxVolcovx,Image: 1056800977, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/William Volcov/Avalon
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- Pokal des neueingeführten FIFA Friedenspreis, der an US-Präsident Donald Trump geht und von FIFA Präsident Gianni Infantino übergeben wird. Trump nimmt sich bei der Zeremonie einfach die Medaille und hängt sie sich um – Washington 05.12.2025: Weltmeisterschafts-Auslosung 2026, World Cup 2026 Final Draw, John F Kennedy Center *** Trophy of the newly introduced FIFA Peace Prize, which goes to US President Donald Trump and is presented by FIFA President Gianni Infantino Trump simply takes the medal at the ceremony and hangs it around his neck Washington 05 12 2025 World Cup Draw 2026, World Cup 2026 Final Draw, John F Kennedy Center,Image: 1056804152, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Marc Schueler/Avalon
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- Pokal des neueingeführten FIFA Friedenspreis, der an US-Präsident Donald Trump geht und von FIFA Präsident Gianni Infantino übergeben wird. Trump nimmt sich bei der Zeremonie einfach die Medaille und hängt sie sich um – Washington 05.12.2025: Weltmeisterschafts-Auslosung 2026, World Cup 2026 Final Draw, John F Kennedy Center *** Trophy of the newly introduced FIFA Peace Prize, which goes to US President Donald Trump and is presented by FIFA President Gianni Infantino Trump simply takes the medal at the ceremony and hangs it around his neck Washington 05 12 2025 World Cup Draw 2026, World Cup 2026 Final Draw, John F Kennedy Center,Image: 1056815382, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no , Credit line: IMAGO/Marc Schueler/Avalon
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- U.S. President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts U.S. President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place between June 11 and July 19 featuring 48 teams with matches being played in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the first time the international sporting event will be hosted by three nations. WASHINGTON DC United States Copyright: xWilliamxVolcovx,Image: 1056828576, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/William Volcov/Avalon
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- President Donald Trump poses for a photo with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on Friday, December 5, 2025.,Image: 1057710522, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no , Credit line: Daniel Torok/Avalon
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- President Donald Trump delivers remarks after accepting the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Friday, December 5, 2025, during the FIFA World Cup drawing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.,Image: 1057710580, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no , Credit line: Daniel Torok/Avalon
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- Washington, DC – United States President Donald J Trump holds up the charter of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 while Gianni Infantino, President, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), looks on during a meeting of the task force in the East Room of the White House. Pictured: Trump BACKGRID USA 6 MAY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
I’m American and I’m glad they’re out. The whole thing was too messy and unfortunate with Trump getting involved. Now, I’d love to see England and Argentina eliminated as well, and I’ll be fine with whoever is left.
I am glad they’re out too. Everything trump touches dies!
I want Argentina out also, low key want England out too, but have a lot of relatives living there.
Apparently Harry Kane has no problem to plays golf with Trump and Messi have a good relationship with republican party and Maga.
As French citizen, my supported we to France Team, I would like final France vs Norway and after this match Belgium vs Usa will great that belgium go untly final.
It would be nice for Morocco or Egypt to get a look in. Africa is the only footballing continent that hasn’t won a world cup yet and a win for one if their teams is long overdue.
But I also just want England to win because I’m English, there my team and I think it’s a bit unfair how everyone hates a team of working class second generation immigrants for things that long dead aristocrats did decades before they were born.
No Asian country has ever won either as my World Cup mad South Asian tenant keeps lamenting. He has been traveling around to different cities and was at last night’s game.
I’m supporting Morocco (there’s a large Moroccan community in the next town) and Norway
Hoping for Morocco. They have depth and have beaten Spain and Belgium in the past.
Hosting WC games meant meeting people from around the world. Our city and businesses put up giant screens in downtown area for public viewing during game day which brought in big crowds. Those engagements have been warm and fun as we showed visitors how to get around our small city and best places to eat, drink, and the nearest bathrooms. Our city spent a lot of money to prettify the stadium and downtown areas leaving neighborhoods grumbling over their lack of funding and resouces. It’ll be interesting to see if WC brought the city and businesses revenue gains that organizer promised.
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He sure did! This was an underdog team and he ruined it, Belgium played with a chip on their shoulder (deservedly so) and while I don’t know that we would have beat them, this team looked discombabulated from the start and I attribute much of that that to all the churn. I feel sorry for them, they all seem like good ‘kids’ who didn’t ask for this negative attention.
I’m all in on Norway also, love the Striking Viking, he is so good and fund to watch.
Belgium is not an underdog team lol. Yes the current squad is not as good as they have been in the past but over the last decade + or so Belgium has belonged to some of the top nations in football.
Belgium is NOT an underdog team – they are ranked 9th in the world, the US is 17th so they were always likely to lose this game. Trumps interference only fired the Belgians up.
The US team were playing well in the tournament and Trump demeaned/humiliated them not only on the international stage but on their own turf. That will have had an effect on their mindset going into last nights game.
Hi everyone….that was meant to be read as the US was the underdog team, not Belgium. We had the underdog mentality, which was ruined by the orange one. Trust me, I’ve watched enough soccer to know who is who, sorry for the confusion.
The world is laughing, but this isn’t over.
Infantino done goofed and people are coming for his head over this.
One hopes. But the corruption within FIFA seems baked into this organization and its governing body. There are never ending conflicts and controversies thru decades and from one WC to the next. I thought what went on in Qatar was pretty awful and things would get better. Nope. This time it’s the madness of Trump. It sucks the joy out of the sport.
Balogun handled himself with grace and dignity (he visited the Belgian team after the match and he accepted the red card decision) – he is an innocent pawn in the corruption of Trump and FIFA. FIFA is well known as a corrupt organisation and has been for years but they get away with it – you knows its bad when EUFA (who have their own issues with corruption and match fixing) calls you out.
The US did well to get as far as they did and were always going to struggle when they met one of the strong contenders for the title.
He did handle himself with dignity, and Trump put the team in a really, really bad place. He made them the bad guys, and they had been playing as plucky good guys before that.
Watching the game, I thought that the Belgians played liked they had a chip on their shoulder – which was totally justifiable – but they also demonstrated superior ball skills. The US was probably going to lose either way, but now the US team is a punching bag because of what Trump and Infantino did. Disgraceful.
The Belgian team doing Trump’s Double Dong dance is awesome.
100%! Really showed the world the corruption in FIFA. That, along with dirty DT, jinxed the game and I am sure gave Belgium the fire to run all over the US.
Belgium was always going to beat them. Trump’s involvement and FIFA’s blatant corruption in letting him influence a suspension decision just turned the positive vibes to shit and tarnished the sport for the nations that actually love it, as everything he touches turns to shit.
honestly though, something it’s difficult for the rest of the world to wrap their heads around is how little Americans care about the World Cup or soccer in general, despite being a host country. The way we get invested the the US men’s national team during the World Cup feels similar to the way we get invested in a niche olympic sport that only comes around every 4 years that Americans are competing in. It exits the national consciousness as soon as it’s over. What feels so unfair is that this scandal will persist for the sport and the other counties that genuinely care LONG after Americans stop caring, and our dipshit president is the one who caused it.
TBH I think most of the rest of the world know that soccer is not a big deal in the US and I think part of the reason the US wanted to host was to promote the sport at home.
All Trump has really done is just bring back to the forefront just how corrupt FIFA is. The fans and teams can complain all they like but until something is done about the senior leadership at FIFA then sh!t like this will continue to happen. FIFA is an organisation should be dissolved and replaced with something completely different.
This scandal will definitely linger because it shows how easily political interference from powerful nations can shape soccer. Again, FIFA is corrupt everything from bribery, to nations using the event to sports wash its image, to favouring certain players and nations but what makes this different is the idea that a country’s leader and say not the president of it’s local federation can now hop on in and interfere.
As to Americans not carrying about soccer, it isn’t difficult for the world to wrap their heads around. Most football fans know Americans don’t care about the sport and don’t know about the sport either. That’s what makes the situation even more galling.
While I am sorry for the team and its members themselves, since they weren’t involved in the whole mess, I am very glad that we lost. That would not have been the way to win. I am also so mad at tr@mp for finding a brand new way to spoil some of the worldwide good will that hosting this tournament has generated for the U.S.
I hear ya but I think the World Cup was a great reminder to folks that Americans are not Trump. As a Bostonian, Trump was not in my city, partying with the Scots or celebrating in New Bedford for the impromptu Cabo Verde parade. American cities did their best to show people that we are welcoming people who’s values don’t align with this shit stain of a POTUS.
I have to believe that the memories that were made here will be something people can take back to their country: that we’re not all bad.
Mostly, I feel terrible for Team USA who really was such a fun and scrappy team and didn’t ask for Dumpy to intervene. And of course, I feel even worse for Iran who’s players conducted themselves with grace, dignity, and professionalism even as Trump tried desperately to sabotage them.
But ITA that this is just one more notch on the belt of global embarrassment. Truly such a shameful administration.
Kitten, rooting for Morocco, victory party on Revere Beach!
Hell yeah, LP! And next weekend’s sand sculpting contest theme is “Boston Welcomes The World” so I expect that sculptures on Revere Beach to be LIT.
Sand castle competition, Sail Boston, World Cup watch parties everywhere, the Greater Boston area welcomes the world to PARTY!!!!
Even though we are in deep mourning for Jaylen Brown, we will party on. That’s what Jaylen would want
Congratulations orange fascist, the whole world was cheering for Belgium and has one more reason to be disgusted with and distrustful of the US….
I’ve never seen Europe so united as we were all throughout yesterday and the fact that we were all cheering for Belgium of all countries is hysterical.
I’ve honestly never seen Belgium play so well, if I were Belgian I would be asking for Trump’s interference more often because it fulled that team.
The third goal was particularly bad for every US player involved, real comical stuff.
All Trump succeeded in doing was create a huge distraction for the US team. They knew they were going into that game with the rest of the world resenting them. Their heads were not in the game. Like someone else said here, and like I’ve been saying for 10 years, everything Trump touches dies. Also, Infantino and FIFA are corrupt AF.
I actually feel bad for the US team and especially Balogun. They didn’t ask for this and they looked spooked as soon as they hit the field. Balogun is a birthright citizen and this will only get politicized further by Magas.
This story really blew up and one silver lining is that a huge majority of criticism is now going to the head of FIFA.
Afterwards Trump was just being his usual self. Thinking he could rig the game and take credit (and their trophy) if they ever won (which wasn’t going to happen anyway). But he truly brings the bad mojo to any team he “supports”.
I do too. I really can’t get behind the sentiment of being glad they lost, even though I understand where people are coming from. Also, the US Soccer federation was likely going to file an appeal (which would have gone nowhere) and it’s not exactly unheard of for a country to defend it’s soccer team in the World Cup. The issue is the blatant and disgusting way that Trump did it, as he always does–by wielding power through influence. It was a vile display that is truly terrible for the sport but also, we should be talking more about the fact that FIFA is run by a dude who is so easily corrupted. Then again, he wouldn’t have the job if he wasn’t. But why did he even take Trump’s call? (rhetorical)
Also a reminder that Balogun is a birthright citizen, something this administration has tried desperately to end. It’s just beyond ironic that Trump intervened over a player who he doesn’t think deserves to play for our team.
The US had a good tournament but in the battle of decent teams Belgium won. I think Belgium would have won even if Trump didn’t interfere in the red card situation.
I was pretty sure we were going to lose but I expected a better game from the US. That was just a mess. I think Belgium is the stronger team anyway but last night they blew us out of the water.
Even if you don’t believe in jinxes, I believe that the US Team played so flat because they knew they had been corrupted. I feel bad for the team. Trump is the opposite King Meidas. Everything he touches turns to sh-t.
I hadn’t caught any of the US games before last night, other than the end of the previous game right after the red card had been administered. They played better a man down than they did with everyone.
That was just embarrassing, particularly the goalie seemed terrible and lackluster. The first two goals he was in a position to do something, and he barely lifted his arm and watched it go in. The third goal is the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen. High school kids occasionally make that mistake, but what on earth was going on.
Honestly it doesn’t matter if the red flag was justified or if they would have won or not, what matters is that the team got this stank on them and became the embarrassment of the tournament. The US had amassed a lot of good will throughout the hosting of the games and T just undid all that within 24 hours.
I feel for the men’s team’s humiliation, that they had to absorb the public shame of Trump’s unsolicited intervention and then the brunt of Belgium’s ire. (I haven’t heard that anyone related to the team asked for intervention and I hope that is true!) USA just looked demoralized from the start being stuck in that position. No minimization intended toward Belgium, who played beautifully and would have crushed team USA even if at their best. I am lowkey happy to see Belgium revel in it with the rest of the world, regardless.
Thanks to Paraguay and Mexico for pulling focus from our @ssholery for a bit though? Egad.
What did the Mexicans do? Every English commentator and fan has praised them highly for their behaviour during our match up. They were passionately but peacefully hostile before and during the match (which is as a fan is what you want) and gracious afterwards, while turning the whole of Mexico City into an incredible party.
There doesn’t really seem to be any basis for the way people talk about them online other than casual racism.
I think there was some talk about Mexican supporters purposely making noise outside of team England’s hotel so they would get a bad nights sleep but someone on team England (Kane?) laughed it off and said it was just like any other night in London when the pubs close.
Otherwise yes Mexico City was a PARTY and I loved the vids of them with the S. Koreans.
FIFA is infamously corrupt. Mango is infamously corrupt. Combined they are even more corrupt. The USA has no business hosting major sporting events. The Belgium players openly mocking his dance made me roll off the couch laughing. Go team Norway!
Iran has put out an hilarious video using LEGOS to mock his phone call and the loss.
Trump and his fellow billionaires and legalized sports betting are doing their best to drain the joy from sports. So much corruption. It’s good to be reminded of the joy that has been in the crowds, personal to person, on the streets, thank you Kitten.
Yes. Mbappé has heavily criticized online sports gambling as being terrible for communities and refused to play on the French team if they allowed these sites to sponsor the games of if the team did spots for them. Very commendable.
Well, if you need reasons beside Erling Haaland, Ørjan Nyland and really good football to root for Norway, look no further.
Back in 2022, Norway’s Football Association president, Lise Klaveness, walked straight onto FIFA’s home turf in Qatar and delivered a legendary, unfiltered speech, essentially calling out the entire federation on human rights, migrant worker exploitation, and LGBTQ+ safety. When FIFA president Gianni Infantino later decided to randomly invent a “FIFA Peace Prize” and hand it to Donald Trump, Norway led the charge to abolish the prize entirely, backing an ethics complaint to keep partisan politics out of the game.
Basically, Norwegian football is currently leading the global resistance against corrupt football bosses.
There is plenty of room left on our longship, so grab an oar and welcome to the team! 🇳🇴
The team and the player could have risen above the obvious corruption and withdrawn him from the game?
The coach maybe but I don’t fault the team or Balogun. He was already in a terrible position and as Theirry Henry said “don’t hate the player, hate the game “. Balogun apparently did exchange some reconciliatory words with the Belgium coach on the field. I really don’t think there was much he could have done and he obviously felt bad about the situation.