Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin revealed a "sense of injustice" fueled his team's dominant 4-1 victory over co-hosts the United States in the World Cup last-16 match on Monday, following a controversial FIFA decision. The squad felt the ruling to suspend a one-match ban for US striker Folarin Balogun, just before the tie, was unfair.

Balogun, 25, had been set to miss the Seattle fixture after receiving a straight red card in the previous round. However, FIFA announced on Sunday that the automatic ban would be suspended for 12 months, drawing widespread criticism from bodies including UEFA and England manager Thomas Tuchel.

US President Donald Trump confirmed he had asked FIFA to review Balogun's suspension, stating it would have "left a big stain on the tournament." Despite Balogun being cleared to play and starting the match, Belgium delivered a convincing performance to advance to the quarter-finals.

"A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days," Raskin stated. "There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field." Captain Youri Tielemans echoed this sentiment, asserting that the incident motivated the team to "respond on the pitch. That's what we did."

Following their fourth goal, several Belgian players were observed performing a dance style popularized by Donald Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign. The official Instagram account for the Belgian national team further fueled the narrative, posting an image of striker Romelu Lukaku with the caption "overturn this."

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia noted that Balogun approached him after the game. Garcia expressed his positive reaction to the interaction, telling Balogun, "It's not his fault, he's not the one to blame." Garcia emphasized that his team's focus remained on their game plan, irrespective of the US lineup.

Iran also weighed in on the controversy, sharing a graphic on their official website comparing their draw with Belgium to the US's heavy defeat, accompanied by the message: "Now the whole world is dancing for the humiliating defeat of politics against footb."

The controversy highlights the intersection of political influence and sporting decisions, raising questions about fairness and the integrity of competition in major international tournaments.