Nicolas Raskin, a player for the Belgian national football team, described the 4-1 victory over the United States in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup as "a form of justice," following FIFA's decision to allow American striker Folarin Balogun to play in the match despite receiving a red card in his country's previous game. Balogun was sent off in the match against Bosnia in the Round of 32. Although a sending off typically results in an automatic one-match ban, FIFA suspended this suspension under Article 27 of its disciplinary code after US President Donald Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reconsider the decision. Infantino stated that FIFA's disciplinary committees operate "with complete independence," emphasizing that he had informed Trump that Balogun's case was subject to standard legal procedures. FIFA's disciplinary committee clarified that it has the authority to suspend a one-match ban. This decision sparked widespread criticism, including from the Belgian federation, which unsuccessfully challenged Balogun's eligibility hours before the match. Belgium responded to the controversy on the pitch, securing a convincing 4-1 victory to knock the US out of the tournament—which the US co-hosts—and advance to the quarterfinals. Raskin said: "I think there is always justice in life. Something like this can happen, but we didn't think it was fair. Today, I see that it brought us a bit of luck, and we had to win the match to send our message." Belgium will face Spain in Los Angeles on Friday in a battle for a spot in the semifinals.