The United States bowed out of the World Cup as the last of the three host nations to depart, ending a campaign that began with promise but fizzled long before Belgium delivered the final blow. Their 4‑0 demolition of Paraguay had been hailed as a watershed moment for American football, a performance that seemed to set Mauricio Pochettino’s side on a path to something greater. But they never reached those heights again.
A scrappy win over Australia was tolerated, a loss to Türkiye largely ignored, and a comfortable victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina expected. Belgium, however, was the first true test and the Americans failed it dismally.
The build‑up had already taken a toll. The extraordinary intervention by President Donald Trump to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card quickly turned the US into villains, and Belgium appeared to relish the opportunity to send the hosts packing.
Off the pitch, another controversy erupted. France star Kylian Mbappé condemned Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla for racist remarks she made following Paraguay’s loss to France. Mbappé called her a “despicable woman” who was “unworthy” of serving in Paraguay’s Congress, a rare and forceful political rebuke from one of football’s biggest global figures.
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