The United States' campaign ended in disappointment, with coach Mauricio Pochettino expressing frustration over what he described as "politics and manipulation" entering the sport.
The team's exit was dominated by the controversy surrounding striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun had received a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in a previous match. However, FIFA controversially suspended the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, allowing Balogun to play in the subsequent game against Belgium.
This decision drew widespread criticism, including from UEFA, Belgium, and England manager Thomas Tuchel. The issue even reached the highest levels of U.S. politics, with President Donald Trump publicly stating he had asked FIFA to review the decision, asserting that he did not believe the foul warranted a red card.
Balogun, who had scored three goals in the tournament, started against Belgium but struggled to make an impact in the match. Following the game, Pochettino commented that the striker's availability, due to FIFA's decision, did not affect the team's performance, stating, "It's not an excuse. It wasn't our day."
However, Pochettino voiced personal disappointment with those who he felt injected politics and manipulation into the situation. "If we talk about the history of this game, I am disappointed in a personal way," he said.
After the match, Belgium coach Rudi Garcia noted that Balogun approached him, expressing that it was not the player's fault and that he was not to blame.
Supporters had gathered outside the Seattle Stadium with high confidence in the team's prospects, with some predicting a World Cup victory. This optimism was partly fueled by the news of Balogun's clearance to play.