Players from the Belgian national soccer team mocked U.S. President Donald Trump by performing his signature dance in their locker room following a 4-1 victory over the United States in the World Cup Round of 16. The win eliminated the American team from the tournament.
Video from the Seattle Stadium locker room showed Belgian players, including Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Axel Witsel, and Alexis Saelemaekers, mimicking Trump's popular campaign trail dance. Even Amadou Onana, who was on crutches with an apparent ACL injury, participated.
This display followed a contentious situation involving U.S. striker Folarin Balogun. President Trump reportedly contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review a red card suspension that would have prevented Balogun from playing against Belgium. FIFA invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code, overturning the ban and allowing Balogun to participate.
Despite Balogun's inclusion, he and most of his teammates were ineffective against Belgium. The Belgian team expressed frustration over the overturned suspension, with the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) lodging an unsuccessful appeal with FIFA. The RBFA stated they had not yet received grounds for FIFA's decision and claimed it was a breach of FIFA regulations.
FIFA president Infantino confirmed receiving a call from President Trump regarding the matter. "I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump," Infantino said. He added that he explained the ongoing legal processes within FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided by competent bodies.
Following the match, Balogun approached Belgium coach Rudi Garcia to discuss the controversy. "It is not his fault; he is not the one to blame — and that's what I told him," Garcia stated. "I really appreciate the intention that he came to see me. I appreciate this player."