USA 1-4 Belgium: Five key takeaways from FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash

Belgium eliminated the USA from the 2026 World Cup.

Belgium began their round of 16 match against the USA in a spectacular fashion. They went ahead just nine minutes into the game. However, before the game, Rudi Garcia’s decision to bench the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku against an excellent USA team might have backfired.

Anyhow, the Red Devils began the match on the front foot. They took the lead in just the ninth minute of the encounter before USA responded; however, Belgium proved to be a better side.

They once again went ahead in the match. They further extended their lead when Matt Freese made a huge blunder, gifting the Red Devils their third goal. Meanwhile, Lukaku scored the fourth goal.

USA’s World Cup campaign ended on a sour note despite starting the competition excellently. Meanwhile, Belgium will now play in the quarter-final of the 2026 World Cup.

Also read: FIFA World Cup 2026 updated bracket after USA vs Belgium in Round of 16

Key takeaways from the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash

5. Charles De Ketelaere scores his first-ever World Cup goal

The Red Devils scored in the ninth minute after pressing the United States defence deep into their box. Nicolas Raskin handled the ball inside the penalty area and passed it deep enough to Charles De Ketelaere. He had a wide-open shot at the goal for an easy score.

With this goal, Charles De Ketelaere netted his first FIFA World Cup goal in the ninth minute.

Also read: Who is Charles De Ketelaere? Belgium goalscorer vs USA in FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16

4. Charles De Ketelaere scores second fastest goal for Belgium in World Cup knockout match

Charles De Ketelaere scored in the ninth minute against the United States during the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16. It is now Belgium’s second-fastest goal in a knockout stage match. He eventually scored a critical brace, guiding the Red Devils past the United States to advance in the tournament.

History repeated for Belgium in the Round of 16 🔂#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/YMQL3Y8HHT

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 7, 2026

3. Hans Vanaken scores 35 yards goal

They defeated the United States 4-1 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Hans Vanaken scoring a remarkable 35-yard goal. Vanaken capitalised on U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese’s costly 57th-minute blunder. He seized on a sloppy clearance and expertly floated a long-range drive into the open net.

Furthermore, no goal in the 2026 World Cup has been scored from a longer distance than Vanaken’s, which provided Belgium a 3-1 lead.

2. USA become third & final co-host nation to get eliminated from World Cup 2026

The United States were eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing 4-1 to Belgium in the Round of 16 in Seattle. With this exit, the tournament’s three co-host nations—the United States, Canada, and Mexico—have all been eliminated.

The encounter against Belgium was controversial, since US forward Folarin Balogun began following FIFA’s decision to suspend his red-card ban from the previous round.

1. Belgium reach their third World Cup quarter-final in their last four appearances

Belgium progressed to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating the United States 4-1 in the Round of 16. This will be their third participation in the last eight of the previous four World Cups (2014, 2018, and 2026).

The Red Devils’ overwhelming success in this year’s knockout rounds sets up a much-anticipated quarter-final against Spain.

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