Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia defended United States striker Folarin Balogun amid the controversy surrounding his eligibility for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash, stating that the player should not be blamed for the situation. Garcia made the remarks after Belgium's emphatic 4-1 victory over the hosts at Seattle Stadium, according to The Athletic.
Garcia: Balogun Not at Fault
Garcia revealed that Balogun personally spoke to him after the match, and the Belgian coach stressed that the issue had no bearing on Belgium's preparation or performance. "Balogun came to talk to me, I liked that. It's not his fault, he's not the one to blame. I told him that. I appreciate he came to talk to me," Garcia said, as quoted by The Athletic.
FIFA had lifted Balogun's one-match suspension ahead of the knockout fixture, allowing him to play. Despite the controversy, Garcia downplayed suggestions that the Balogun issue had served as extra motivation for his players, insisting Belgium's focus remained firmly on its tactical approach. "It wasn't needed or necessary (in terms of motivation). What really mattered to us is our game plan. We wanted to be prominent; the U.S. team is dynamic and full of energy. We didn't need Kevin (De Bruyne), we scored goals," he added.
Belgium's Commanding Victory
Belgium stormed into the quarter-finals with a commanding 4-1 victory over the hosts. Charles De Ketelaere starred with a brace to earn the Player of the Match award, while Hans Vanaken scored his first-ever FIFA World Cup goal and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a stoppage-time strike, marking his third consecutive World Cup match with a goal. Belgium dominated much of the contest despite the USA briefly equalising through Malik Tillman's deflected free-kick. A costly goalkeeping error by Matt Freese allowed Belgium to extend their lead before Lukaku sealed the emphatic win late on.
Garcia Thanks Fans, Laments Injury
Speaking after the Round of 16 victory, Garcia thanked Belgian fans who stayed awake through the night to support the team. "I think it's 4am in Belgium right now. To everyone who got up in the middle of the night to support us, I'd like to say a huge thank you. They should be happy and proud of their players today. We showed that Belgium is a great football nation. The players were outstanding and followed the game plan perfectly. We were in control throughout the match. Once again, it was a real team effort," Garcia said, as quoted by The Athletic.
However, Garcia admitted that Amadou Onana's injury had dampened the celebrations. "The one big disappointment, the one dark cloud over tonight, is Amadou Onana's injury. We owed it to him to keep going in the second half, win the match and qualify for the quarter-finals," he added.
What's Next for Belgium
The defeat ended the United States' campaign, making them the last of the three co-host nations to exit the tournament after Canada and Mexico. Belgium will next face Spain in the quarter-finals on July 10 after the Spanish side knocked out Portugal in the Round of 16.
