Watch: Lukaku and Belgium break into ‘Trump dance’ after knocking USA out of World Cup

Belgium cruised into the World Cup quarter-finals with a commanding 4-1 victory over the United States in their Round of 16 clash on American soil. While the scoreline itself grabbed attention, Belgium’s post-goal celebration quickly became one of the biggest talking points online.

After netting Belgium’s fourth goal deep into stoppage time, striker Romelu Lukaku broke into the now-famous ‘Donald Trump dance‘. Several of his teammates immediately joined in, forming a circle as they celebrated the emphatic victory. Videos of the moment spread rapidly across social media, triggering thousands of reactions from football fans.

Watch the video:

Belgium did the Trump dance after beating USA 😭 pic.twitter.com/xva7xWZODz

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) July 7, 2026

The build-up to the match had already been surrounded by controversy after US striker Folarin Balogun was cleared to play despite initially receiving a one-match suspension.

Balogun had been sent off during the United States’ previous World Cup fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina after a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic. The dismissal meant he was originally set to miss the knockout encounter against Belgium.

Before kick-off, President Donald Trump confirmed that he had asked FIFA to review the suspension. Speaking at the White House, Trump said he believed Balogun’s challenge did not deserve a red card.

“I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said, adding that he had spoken with FIFA president Gianni Infantino only to request a review of the decision.

He also insisted he never instructed FIFA to overturn the suspension, saying he merely asked officials to take another look. Trump later described FIFA’s verdict as “the right decision” and argued that allowing the ban to stand would have left a “big stain” on the tournament.

Belgium’s response, however, came on the pitch.

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Belgium outplay USA

Despite Balogun’s availability, the United States struggled to trouble Belgium throughout the contest. The Belgian side controlled the match and sealed a comfortable 4-1 win, with Lukaku’s stoppage-time strike putting the result beyond doubt.

The celebration that followed only added to the drama, with many fans interpreting the Trump dance as Belgium’s playful response to the controversy surrounding Balogun’s eligibility.

Clips of Belgium’s celebration quickly made the rounds online, with many users sharing humorous takes on the moment.

One user wrote, “Even after Trump personally reversed the US player’s red card, y’all still got smoked 4-1 at home #Belgium didn’t need the extra man to cook you. That Trump dance from the winners hits different.”

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Another commented, “Belgium letting Trump get Balogun cleared to play just so they could 4-1 the US and hit the Trump dance on them is diabolical.”

A third user added, “This is the kind of celebration that’s going to live forever in memes. Belgium knew exactly what they were doing, and the fact that they pulled it off after a 4-1 win makes it even more disrespectful in the best way.”