USMNT Crumbles Against Belgium: Co-Hosts Deliver Shameful Performance in Stunning Collapse

Christian Pulisic was reduced to tears on the sideline after being forced off through injury in the 59th minute, leaving him powerless to contribute to the U.S. men's national team's attempted comeback against Belgium in the round of 16 in Seattle on Monday evening. 

Without their talismanic winger, the Stars and Stripes were beaten 4–1 and eliminated from the World Cup at the same stage as fellow co-hosts Canada and Mexico, unable to recover from a dreadful opening and a costly error from goalkeeper Matt Freese. 

While the pressure of a round of 16 fixture was enormous, the main storyline surrounding the USMNT in the 24 hours before kickoff centered on Folarin Balogun's eligibility to feature. 

After receiving a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the White House and President Donald Trump intervened in an unconventional appeal, allowing the striker to remain in the starting eleven and serve his suspension at a later date, while also paying a $40,000 fine. By the time the USMNT players took to the field, they appeared underprepared and distracted. 

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Belgium got on the scoresheet early with a lively move from the opening whistle, as Charles De Ketelaere tapped in at the far post after Leandro Trossard whipped a cross through the penalty area, beyond Freese's grasp in the ninth minute. 

Just past the half-hour mark, and following a difficult start, the USMNT pulled one back through Malik Tillman's free-kick, which deflected off the head of Hans Vanaken and past Thibaut Courtois.

Unfortunately for the USMNT, the deficit was restored quickly, as De Ketelaere won a physical duel with center back Tim Ream and headed home to make it 2–1 less than two minutes later.

The halftime break offered no relief for the USMNT, and matters deteriorated in the 57th minute when Freese misjudged a ball played over the top, spilling it into the ground on an attempted clearance and allowing Vanaken to calmly finish into the empty net. Romelu Lukaku added a further goal in stoppage time, sealing an embarrassing 4–1 final scoreline.

Without Pulisic in the closing stages and with a disappointing display from the squad as a whole, the USMNT failed to generate any momentum and exited the World Cup at the same round as in 2010, 2014 and 2022. The 2002 tournament remains the last occasion the USMNT reached the quarterfinals. 

Sports Illustrated reviews every player who featured on Monday night in Seattle.

The One Thing We Can't Ignore—A Disaster of Massive Implications

For all the optimism, the ambitions and the excitement the USMNT had generated over the past month and throughout the years building toward this World Cup, it all feels like it amounted to nothing. When the team finally faced a top-10-ranked opponent, they crumbled, and unlike their fellow co-hosts, they never looked like they belonged from the outset. 

Pochettino made bold changes, fielded his strongest lineup and had the USMNT's confidence at what seemed like an ideal level. Yet, the lasting image of this World Cup for the USMNT, rather than a triumphant chorus of "Country Roads" with the Seattle crowd, is the controversy surrounding Balogun and a flat performance against a Belgian side many believed was winnable. 

If this were an overseas World Cup, reaching the round of 16 might have been a reasonable benchmark—it's the standard the USMNT has set for itself since a quarterfinal run 24 years ago, but on home turf, with the most gifted squad in U.S. Soccer history, it is simply not good enough. After all, this was a team that asked "why not us" when it came to lifting the trophy and, for stretches of the summer, looked capable of doing exactly that. 

There will be heartbreak now, and that's understandable. But there will be many questions about the program's direction, and with Pochettino yet to sign an extension and this result fresh in mind, the future looks uncertain.

USMNT Player Ratings vs. Belgium (4-1-2-3)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Matt Freese—4.5: A performance that will haunt Matt Freese for years to come. His blunder in the 57th minute effectively extinguished the USMNT's faint hopes of a comeback.

RB: Alex Freeman—6.6: Defensively poor on the opening goal when tasked with tracking Trossard. He struggled to find his footing throughout the night.

CB: Chris Richards—4.8: The cornerstone of the USMNT's defensive line, Richards was unable to contain De Ketelaere and failed to track runners left exposed by Tim Ream. He also struggled in the closing stages when Lukaku broke through.

CB: Tim Ream—4.4: In what was likely his final World Cup appearance, the captain lost numerous duels, contributed to errors on every goal and was beaten on the dribble repeatedly throughout the match.

LB: Antonee Robinson—6.3: One of the few positives in the backline, Robinson showed energy pushing forward down the left flank but was overloaded once Pulisic departed.

CDM: Tyler Adams—6.2: Substituted off in the 72nd minute, Adams made five defensive contributions but failed to influence the team in transition.

CM: Weston McKennie—5.8: The Juventus midfielder and usual engine of the team was largely anonymous and struggled to link up with those around him.

CM: Malik Tillman—7.6: Comfortably the standout USMNT performer, Tillman demonstrated his quality with another dangerous set-piece and maintained his energy across the full 90 minutes, though it wasn't enough to inspire his teammates. At just 24, he will be a key figure for the 2030 squad.

RM: Sergiño Dest—6.3: Dest was unable to make any meaningful impact down the flank and prompted Pochettino into a halftime substitution.

ST: Folarin Balogun—6.9: The player at the center of the football world's attention managed just 10 touches in the first half—the fewest of any player on the pitch—but improved slightly in the second half with seven touches in the opposition box and a shot on target.

LM: Christian Pulisic—6.0: Picking up a knock midway through the first half, Pulisic was unable to perform at the level so many had anticipated.

SUB: Gio Reyna (46' for Dest)—6.9: Reyna showed some spark in the latter stages of the match but struggled to make a meaningful impact on the ball for much of his time on the pitch.

SUB: Sebastian Berhalter (59' for Pulisic)—6.5: Unleashed a fierce long-range effort that clipped the post, Berhalter brought intensity after coming on for the final 30 minutes.

SUB: Ricardo Pepi (72' for Adams)—6.4: Likely anticipating a start given the Balogun situation, Pepi failed to make the desired impression from the bench.

SUB: Max Arfsten (90' for Robinson)—N/A: Did not touch the ball.

SUB: Haji Wright (90' for Balogun)—N/A: Completed one accurate pass.

Subs not used: Matt Turner (GK), Chris Brady (GK), Auston Trusty, Joe Scally, Miles Robinson, Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah, Alex Zendejas,

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain the Historic Defeat

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