Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin considered his country's big 4-1 victory over the United States in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup as a "victory for justice," referring to the controversy before the match regarding the participation of American forward Folarin Balogun.

The match witnessed controversy after FIFA allowed Balogun to play despite being sent off in the previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.

The American striker was supposed to be automatically suspended for one match, but FIFA's Disciplinary Committee suspended the execution of the penalty based on Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, a decision that sparked widespread criticism, notably from the Belgian federation which filed an appeal against the player's eligibility but failed to change it.

Justice in life

Raskin affirmed that Belgium preferred to respond on the pitch rather than engaging in the off-field controversy, saying after the match: "As I said before, I believe there is always justice in life. What happened before the match we did not consider fair."

He added: "Today luck smiled on us a bit, but we had to win the match first to deliver our message in the right way."

FIFA clarifies its position

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had confirmed that the disciplinary committees operate with full independence, explaining that the decision to suspend Balogun's penalty was taken according to the applicable legal procedures, even after calls from US President Donald Trump to review the case.

FIFA's Disciplinary Committee also stressed that the regulations grant it the authority to suspend the execution of a suspension penalty in some cases, which was applied in the American player's case.

Belgium continues its journey

The Belgian team was not affected by the atmosphere surrounding the match, as it imposed its superiority on the pitch and achieved a big 4-1 victory, booking a ticket to the quarter-finals.

Belgium will face Spain on Friday in Los Angeles, in a match where both teams seek to secure a spot in the World Cup semi-finals.