These Tweets show the USA’s Defeat to Belgium Might Have Been one of the Most Embarrassing in World Cup History

USA's Ego Bruised by Brilliant Belgium

Well, it's finally happened.

As it turns out, a few okay wins against teams far below them in global rankings does not a World Cup winner make, and the United States have been soundly bounced out of the tournament at the hands of an irate Belgium who felt aggrieved at FIFA's decision to allow Folarin Balogun to play the game.

With that fire lit underneath them, and from the over-zealous early celebrations from American fans across social media, you would assume, the Belgian Red Devils smashed Mauricio Pochettino's side from pillar to post to secure their spot at the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals.

A brace from Man of the Match Charles De Ketelaere sandwiched a deflected Malik Tillman free-kick before Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku added the gloss and compounded the Yank's misery in Seattle.

But, putting the performance itself to one side, the whole ordeal surrounding the United States this past week has been unnecessarily noisy and the response from their fans has been a typically brash one. They needed a humbling, and the first decent team they have faced at this World Cup have handed them one in no uncertain terms.

Social media was awash with volume surrounding the decision from FIFA to rescind Balogun's card. Suitably so, it has been just as loud in it's mockery of a crushing, embarrassing defeat.

Social Media Reacts as USA Dumped Out

Infantino Faces Calls to Resign

Infantino nuked his career for a Balogun 5.2 and a USA ass whooping pic.twitter.com/evKIm1PkYm

— G (@Gideoomatic) July 7, 2026

Turns out it wasn't really worth it in the end, eh?

Balogun is a very good player and the cancellation of his red card was certainly a boost for the United States, but the Monaco man was mostly absent for the game before being hauled off with only minutes to go for Coventry City's Haji Wright.

But it's Gianni Infantino who has come out of this looking the worst.

His decision to rescind the red card in the first place was a true embarrassment in order to pander to the money-spinning Americanisation of the game. Time and time again has he meddled with the sport, and this one ended up being the most pointless of all. As such, many are calling for baldy to pack up and go.

Matt Freese Dropped a Clanger

USA goalie tonight pic.twitter.com/5qu3Roffuu

— IcyVert (@IcyVert) July 7, 2026

It's an interesting paradox for the United States at the moment.

For many years, their one strong point in a pretty bleak national setup was their goalkeepers, with the likes of Brad Friedel, Tim Howard and Brad Guzan always being rather reliable operators whilst the outfield operators were distinctly average. Nowadays, the outfielders on display are actually rather good, with a number of them playing at a top level in club matters. However, their goalkeepers are now utter crap with the likes of Matt Freese and Matt Turner.

It was the former of the two in goal last night, and he absolutely dropped his arse in a way not seen since Gary Lineker literally did so back in 1990.

Forward came a routine long ball and out into deep midfield came the New York City FC stopper. Out in No Man's Land, he hesitated and kicked the ball straight into De Ketelaere and out into the path of Vanaken. There, from all of 30 yards, the Bruges midfielder curled home a simple effort into the vacant net. Egg onto the face, and so forth.

Where Are the Racks?

Why did it take 78 minutes to show a USA chick with a huge rack in the crowd? Needed that energy 50 minutes ago buddy. Good job FOX, thanks for nothing

— Rob Gucci (@heatdaddy69420) July 7, 2026

It's true - a World Cup staple may have been missing from the USA's offering last night.

We counted down the best fans at the World Cup so far a few days ago based on... a number of factors. The USA ranked highly there, but that cannon-ical spirit was nowhere to be seen on the US broadcast as they fell to Belgium.

Cheaters Never Prosper

We really cheated and still lost https://t.co/NF4l8v7aiV

— Pilgrim (@VLONEPREDATOR) July 7, 2026

Very aptly put, it must be said.

I don't want to keep banging the drum over this rescinded red card, but I'll hammer it home by providing this tweet - the decision from FIFA to overturn it was a load of bollocks, and I'm glad that there was practically zero benefit for the USMNT off of the back of it.

They Are Starting to Learn

Maybe the worst soccer play I’ve seen in my life and I’ve been watching soccer for an entire 3 weeks. pic.twitter.com/Kw4KNruzKX

— Savage (@Savageboston) July 7, 2026

There you go, an actual clip of the aforementioned gaff from Freese.

But more importantly, the new wave of football (and it is football) fans in the United States have got their first proper taste of disappointment, specifically the kind that can only stem from a major cock-up from one of your players.

Keeper mistakes always seem to be the worst. As a Nottingham Forest fan, I don't think I'll ever wash the memory of John Victor running to almost the halfway line for seemingly no reason before conceding against Aston Villa out of my mind. And every football fan has that one mistake or guffaw from one of their own that sticks in the mind for reasons comedic or painful.

So there you are, America - there's yours.

Falling at the First

"USA" crumbling at their first real challengepic.twitter.com/a57z4SVhqd

— G (@Gideoomatic) July 7, 2026

Paraguay play like utter bellends, as it turns out, but the USA managed to topple that and soundly beat them 4-1. They also managed to squeak past Australia and Bosnia in their offerings for the tournament as well. But they faced just two nations with them in the top 25 of the globe. And guess what?

They lost to both of them.

They faced a Turkiye team that had not scored a single goal for the entire tournament and were already eliminated, and lost with the final kick of the game. They then faced a Belgium last night that had been distinctly average for the whole World Cup thus far, and were soundly battered at their hands.

Truth is, the USA just are not ready to mix in with the big boys yet. Maybe get a better goalkeeper going for 2030 and put the re-animated body of Tim Ream out to pasture, then we can talk.