The Argentinians became the first team to overturn a two-goal deficit in the final 15 minutes of regulation without needing extra time in a World Cup knockout round game on Tuesday. The defending World Cup champions scored three times in 13 minutes and beat Egypt 3-2.

The win came just days after Argentina needed 120 minutes to beat Cape Verde by the same score, though the game unfolded quite differently.

Against Cape Verde, Argentina took the lead twice before Cape Verde tied it, including in extra time on an incredible goal by Sydny Lopes Cabral. The lead only held for good after a set-piece goal that was credited as an own goal for Cape Verde’s Diney Borges in the 111th minute.

Tuesday, Argentina was the better team in the first half. It dominated the ball and had numerous chances. Yet it was down 1-0 at the break. Yasser Ibrahim’s 15th-minute goal was Egypt’s only touch in the Argentina penalty box all half.

In the second half, Argentina found itself cut open by Egypt’s counter-attack. And fortunate to not trail 3-0, after VAR intervened to call back a brilliant goal that would have given Egypt a 2-0 lead nine minutes before they were officially credited with goal No. 2.

The win over Cape Verde was Argentina’s third win in either extra time or penalty kicks in its last four knockout round games. While the Egypt comeback doesn’t fit in that category, it continues a theme. Argentina is winning a lot of games it could easily lose.

Sure, it helps having the best player in modern soccer history on your team. But Lionel Messi also missed a penalty kick in the first half on Tuesday. He’s human, even if his game-tying goal was a moment of magic.

But no matter who is on your team, there’s only so much you can do while winning on the finest of margins. Just ask the Kansas City Chiefs, who rode a host of one-score wins to the Super Bowl during the 2024 season before getting blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles and having everything fall apart in 2025 despite bringing back much of the same team.

We don’t know when the end will come for this Argentina team until it actually happens. All signs pointed to Tuesday’s game being Messi’s last competitive match in that famed blue and white-striped shirt with 20 minutes remaining.

But this is clearly a team that continues to defy the odds. And given who looms on the path to being repeat champions, Argentina would be well-served to stop living on the edge.

Can Switzerland make an improbable run to the semis?

Look, Switzerland doesn’t play the most appealing brand of soccer. But it’s effective. And in the World Cup, you don’t need to apologize for effectiveness.

The Swiss took down Colombia 4-3 in penalty kicks Tuesday afternoon after a scoreless 120 minutes preceded those spot kicks. The game itself wasn’t much to watch; but Ruben Vargas gave Switzerland its first quarterfinal appearance in 72 years when he buried the team’s fifth penalty.

Switzerland won Group A thanks to a win over Canada in the final group game and has played each of its last three games in Vancouver. It now travels to Kansas City to play Argentina and will be a significant underdog.

But don’t immediately discount this team. Especially given how Argentina has needed late goals to advance. Like Argentina, Switzerland has one of the most experienced squads in the tournament. It will have a solid gameplan for Messi and won’t be exposed by an Argentina team that doesn’t tend to break quickly.

Will that be enough? Likely not. If its World Cup opener was any indication, Argentina will have a huge crowd advantage. Switzerland could be the “easy” game that Argentina needs ahead of the semifinals. Or it could be disciplined enough to not fold like Egypt did if it builds an early lead.

Lionel Messi and Argentina kicked things off in the early game with a thrilling 3-2 comeback against Egypt. Messi delivered the equalizer in the 83rd minute and then Enzo Fernandez capped things off with a game winner in stoppage time for Argentina's third goal in 15 minutes. Messi's goal put him back in the lead of the Golden Boot race.

In the afternoon game, Colombia and Switzerland battled to a draw before a dramatic shootout. The Swiss got the goal they needed and will be moving on.

Argentina will meet Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday.

Tuesday's Round of 16 schedule

• Final: Argentina 3, Egypt 2

• Final: Switzerland 0, Colombia 0 (Swiss advance on PKs)

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Morocco, France, Belgium, Spain, Norway, England, defending champion Argentina and Switzerland will vie for the coveted trophy when the quarterfinals kick off on Thursday, July 9.

Follow the daily schedule below.

Get full coverage of the 2026 World Cup in our soccer hub

2026 FIFA World Cup daily schedule, results

(All times Eastern)

Tuesday, July 7

Round of 16:Argentina 3, Egypt 2– Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Round of 16:Switzerland 0 (4), Colombia 0 (3)– BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Thursday, July 9

Quarterfinal: Morocco vs. France, 4 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Friday, July 10

Quarterfinal: Belgium vs. Spain, 3 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Saturday, July 11

Quarterfinal: Norway vs. England, 5 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Quarterfinal: Argentina vs. Switzerland, 9 p.m. – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Tuesday, July 14

Semifinal: Quarterfinal winners, 3 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Wednesday, July 15

Semifinal: Quarterfinal winners, 3 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Saturday, July 18

Third-place match: Semifinal losers, 5 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens

Sunday, July 19

Final: Semifinal winners, 3 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

2026 FIFA World Cup results

Group stage

Thursday, June 11

Group A:Mexico 2, South Africa 0– Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Group A:South Korea 2, Czechia 1– Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 12

Group B:Canada 1, Bosnia & Herzegovina 1– BMO Field, Toronto
Group D:USA 4, Paraguay 1– SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Saturday, June 13

Group B:Qatar 1, Switzerland 1– Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Group C:Brazil 1, Morocco 1– MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Group C:Scotland 1, Haiti 1– Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Sunday, June 14

Group D:Australia 2, Türkiye 0– BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia
Group E:Germany 7, Curaçao 1– NRG Stadium, Houston
Group F:Netherlands 2, Japan 2– AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Group E:Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0– Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Group F:Sweden 5, Tunisia 1– Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico

Monday, June 15

Group H:Spain 0, Cape Verde 0– Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group G:Belgium 1, Egypt 1– Lumen Field, Seattle
Group H:Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay 1– Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Group G:Iran 2, New Zealand 2– SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Tuesday, June 16

Group I:France 3, Senegal 1– MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Group I:Norway 4, Iraq 1– Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Group J: Argentina 3, Algeria 0– Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Group J: Austria 3, Jordan 1– Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Wednesday, June 17

Group K:Portugal 1, DR Congo 1– NRG Stadium, Houston
Group L:England 4 Croatia 2– AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Group L:Ghana 1, Panama, 0– BMO Field, Toronto
Group K:Colombia 3, Uzbekistan 1– Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Thursday, June 18

Group A:Czechia 1, South Africa 1– Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group B:Switzerland 4, Bosnia & Herzegovina 1– SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Group B:Canada 6, Qatar 0– BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia
Group A:Mexico 1, South Korea 0– Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 19

Group D:USA 2, Australia 0– Lumen Field, Seattle
Group C:Morocco 1, Scotland 1– Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Group C:Brazil 3, Haiti, 0– Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Saturday, June 20

Group D:Paraguay 1, Türkiye 0– Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Group F:Netherlands 5, Sweden 1– NRG Stadium, Houston
Group E:Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1– BMO Field, Toronto
Group E:Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0– Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Saturday, June 20

Group D:Paraguay 1, Türkiye 0– Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Group F:Netherlands 5, Sweden 1– NRG Stadium, Houston
Group E:Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1– BMO Field, Toronto
Group E:Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0– Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Sunday, June 21

Group F:Japan 4, Tunisia 0– Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico
Group H:Spain 4, Saudi Arabia 0– Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group G: Belgium 0, Iran 0– SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Group H:Uruguay 1, Cape Verde 1– Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Group G: Egypt 3, New Zealand 1– BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Monday, June 22

Group J: Argentina 2, Austria 0 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Group I: France 3, Iraq 0 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Group I: Norway 3, Senegal 2 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Group J: Algeria 2, Jordan 1 – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Tuesday, June 23

Group K:Portugal 5, Uzbekistan 0 – NRG Stadium, Houston
Group L:England 0, Ghana 0 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Group L:Panama 0, Croatia 1– BMO Field, Toronto
Group K:Colombia 1, DR Congo 0 – Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico

Wednesday, June 24

Group B:Switzerland 2 Canada 1 – BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia
Group B:Qatar 3, Bosnia & Herzegovina 1 – Lumen Field, Seattle
Group C:Brazil 3, Scotland 0 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Group C:Morocco 4, Haiti 2 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group A:Mexico 3, Czechia 0 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Group A:South Africa 1, South Korea 0 – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico

Thursday, June 25

Group E:Curaçao 0, Ivory Coast 2 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Group E:Ecuador 2, Germany 1 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Group F: Japan 1, Sweden 1– AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Group F: Netherlands 3, Tunisia 1 – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Group D:Türkiye 3, USA 2 – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Group D:Paraguay 0, Australia 0 – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Friday, June 26

Group I:France 4, Norway 1 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Group I:Senegal 5, Iraq 0 – BMO Field, Toronto
Group H:Cape Verde 0, Saudi Arabia 0– NRG Stadium, Houston
Group H:Spain 1, Uruguay 0 – Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
Group G: Egypt 1, Iran 1 – Lumen Field, Seattle
Group G:Belgium 5, New Zealand 1 – BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Saturday, June 27

Group L:England 2, Panama 1 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Group L:Croatia 2, Ghana 1 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Group K:Colombia 0, Portugal 0 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Group K:DR Congo 3, Uzbekistan 1 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group J:Algeria 3, Austria 3 – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Group J: Argentina 3, Jordan 1 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Round of 32

Sunday, June 28

Round of 32:Canada 1, South Africa 0– SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Monday, June 29

Round of 32:Brazil 2, Japan 1 – NRG Stadium, Houston
Round of 32:Paraguay 1 (4), Germany 1 (3)– Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Round of 32:Morocco 1 (3), Netherlands 1 (2)– Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico

Tuesday, June 30

Round of 32:Norway 2, Ivory Coast 1– AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Round of 32:France 3, Sweden 0– MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Round of 32:Mexico 2, Ecuador 0– Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Wednesday, July 1

Round of 32:England 2, Congo DR 1– Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Round of 32:Belgium 3, Senegal 2– Lumen Field, Seattle
Round of 32:USA 2, Bosnia & Herzegovina 0– Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Thursday, July 2

Round of 32:Spain 3, Austria 0– SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Round of 32:Portugal 2, Croatia 1– BMO Field, Toronto
Round of 32:Switzerland 2, Algeria 0– BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Friday, July 3

Round of 32:Egypt 1 (4), Australia 1 (2)– AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Round of 32:Argentina 3, Cape Verde 2 (ET)– Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Round of 32:Colombia 1, Ghana 0– Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Saturday, July 4

Round of 16:Morocco 3, Canada 0– NRG Stadium, Houston
Round of 16:France 1, Paraguay 0– Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Sunday, July 5

Round of 16:Norway 2, Brazil 1– MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Round of 16:England 3, Mexico 2– Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Monday, July 6

Round of 16:Spain 1, Portugal 0– AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Round of 16:Belgium 4, USA 1– Lumen Field, Seattle

Ruben Vargas buried Switzerland's fifth penalty as the Swiss defeated Colombia 4-3 in penalty kicks after neither team scored a goal in regulation or extra time.

Manuel Akanji had the only Swiss miss as Colombia's Davinson Sanchez's kick bounced off the crossbar and Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel saved Cucho Hernández's spot kick.

That set up Vargas, Switzerland's fifth penalty taker, for the winner.

Switzerland will face Argentina in the quarterfinals on Saturday (9 p.m. ET, Fox) after Argentina became the first team to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the final 15 minutes of regulation in its 3-2 win over Egypt.

Before 2026, Switzerland's last quarterfinals appearance came in 1954, when the Swiss lost 7-5 to Austria after winning a playoff against Italy for second place in Group D. In the 72 years between quarterfinal appearances, Switzerland has made nine World Cup appearances.

But it failed to get out of the group stage three times and hadn't won a knockout round game until beating Algeria in the Round of 32.

The game went to extra time after a stagnant 90 minutes that hardly featured any real chances for either team. After Argentina's epic comeback, you wouldn't have been blamed for dozing off during this one.

The first extra time period featured good chances for each side and Colombia fans will be ruing the opportunity that was presented to their team in the second extra time period. After Granit Xhaka turned the ball over deep in his own half, Jaminton Campaz had a one-on-one opportunity against Kobel.

His shot flew well over the crossbar.

As Switzerland was looking for its first final eight appearance in decades, Colombia was trying to make the quarterfinals for just the second time ever.

After a run to the quarters in 2014, Colombia had been knocked out in the Round of 16 in 2018 before failing to make the World Cup in 2022.

Until Tuesday, a showdown with Argentina looked inevitable. Colombia had been one of the best teams at the World Cup and won Group K over Portugal before easily dispatching Ghana in a 1-0 game that wasn't all that close.

However, Colombia was incredibly inefficient with its chances. And Switzerland wasn't much better. The teams combined for five shots on goal across 22 shots in 120 minutes.

The quarterfinals are set

Switzerland's win was the final game in the Round of 16 and they'll play Argentina in the last game of the quarterfinals on Saturday evening. The next round begins Thursday, when France takes on Morocco (4 p.m. ET, Fox). Friday, Spain plays Belgium (3 p.m. ET, Fox) and England faces Norway on Saturday afternoon (5 p.m. ET, Fox).

The winners of Thursday and Friday's games will play in the first semifinal on Tuesday, July 14, while the winners of the two games on Saturday will play on Wednesday, July 15.

Fox Sports analysts Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas got into a heated and awkward exchange on the air Tuesday while discussing FIFA's decision to overturn United States star Folarin Balogun's red card suspension during the World Cup.

The analysts, who have been in previous awkward moments together during the network's World Cup coverage, got into a very tense conversation Tuesday in the wake of the USMNT's tournament-ending loss to Belgium. 

Balogun was allowed to play in Monday's 4-1 loss in Seattle only after FIFA overturned the suspension due to the red card he received against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the earlier round. President Donald Trump pushed for that decision, too, after he personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino. 

Though Henry didn't agree with Balogun's red card in the first place, it was how FIFA went about rescinding the punishment that he had an issue with.

"I'm going to say it again, I do agree with the fact that it wasn't a red," Henry said. "Because if I was a player and someone had given me a red like that, I wouldn't have accepted that. But I don't agree with how they rescinded the red … What FIFA did wasn't right. But it was the right thing in terms of not giving the red. That should have been a decision that was done on the field, not after three days, four days, I didn't agree with that at all."

Lalas jumped in and tried to push back, insisting FIFA didn't break any rules. FIFA opted to postpone Balogun's ban by one year under Article 27 of its disciplinary code. 

"But they didn't break any — " Lalas started.

"Don't," Henry said, cutting him off. "The Article 27 doesn't say that, in my opinion. What FIFA did wasn't right."

Lalas, though, didn't let it go. Lalas, a vocal Trump supporter, kept trying to goad Henry and brought up Cristiano Ronaldo — who was also granted a deferred suspension before the World Cup under a similar, but different, ruling from FIFA — multiple times.

"So the right decision was come to the wrong way also when it comes to Cristiano Ronaldo?" Lalas asked Henry.

"That's on you to talk [about] if you want to talk," Henry fired back. "I'm talking about Balogun and this is the World Cup."

Eventually, host Rebecca Lowe tried to jump in and wrap up the segment. Fellow analyst Zlatan Ibrahimović, who was silent during the entire exchange, looked at Lowe as she did so. 

"I'm not coming to you," Lowe said, pointing at Ibrahimović, laughing. 

The exchange was just the latest example of what has been some very clear tension on the Fox Sports desk throughout the World Cup. Neither Henry nor Ibrahimović appear to enjoy Lalas, and both have feuded with him already. Ibrahimović even implied that Lalas is "ignorant" after France's 3-1 win over Senegal in the first round, and he took another shot at Lalas after being busted on a friendly lie detector test on James Cordon's "After Hours" show.

Clearly, things on the Fox Sports desk aren't getting any better as the World Cup moves along. But, as the USMNT is now out of the tournament, the Balogun discussion is moot. Belgium is moving on to the quarterfinals.

ATLANTA — We should be feeling sorry for Egypt. We should be using what happened here to have an urgent discussion about the disaster that is VAR and whether officiating bias at the World Cup makes it orders of magnitude more difficult for underdog teams like Egypt to beat the brand names like Argentina.

But we can't.

Because Egypt blew it. And there should be no tears or excuses for a team that blew it as egregiously as Egypt blew it.

And because they blew it in a way that will melt minds for generations, it's no surprise Egypt wanted to talk about anything but its own failure to close the deal after Argentina rallied from a 2-0 deficit to advance to the quarterfinals with an epic 3-2 victory that will be talked about as long as they play World Cups.

"Ordinary life, normal life is unfair, but why isn't there any fairness in sports?" Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said. "I'm not convinced with this outcome. I'm not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match. I do not want to try to put it nicely here with beautiful wording and say 'hard luck' and so on and so forth. We have been treated unfairly. We have suffered injustice."

The postgame scene was surreal. Hassan was throwing around the word "rigged" and being asked by a reporter whether his comments at a pregame news conference Monday in support of Palestinians turned the game's referee against Egypt. Mostafa Ziko, who had a goal taken off the board by a video review, said the World Cup was being "rigged" for Argentina.

This was the emotion of the World Cup spilling out, a country that has never been to a quarterfinal and was irrelevant in soccer for seven decades unwilling to tip its cap to the tenacity of Argentina's comeback or point the finger at itself for what happened.

And you have to feel for them. They may even have a point.

But this is equally true: When the Pharaohs' second goal went in with 23 minutes and some stoppage time left, it should have been over. Not just the end of the game, but the end of Argentina as reigning champs — and the end of Lionel Messi in the World Cup. As the clock ticked toward the 75th minute, the 77th and the 78th with no sign of the lead cracking, it felt momentous: Egypt, which hadn't been past the group stage since 1934, heading to the quarterfinals and mighty Argentina going back to Buenos Aires.

Egypt had pushed past the threshold of excuses, dragging the game to the point where only an unfathomable meltdown could produce any other outcome. It should have been the greatest story of this World Cup. But in the end, it didn't even take Moses — just Messi — to part the seas.

"If you analyze the match, it was always Argentina's match, but they had really good moments," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. "They're a really good team, they have great players, but apart from (a penalty kick that Messi didn't convert), I think we had three or four clear chances in the first half so if we were to (go) up 1-0, no one would question that. But you don't get a goal and they're two goals ahead and they feel comfortable, so you have to keep digging and digging and digging and that's what we did."

The first Argentina goal, almost out of nowhere, seemed harmless enough. Time was on Egypt's side and the game still in their control.

Then came Messi's bolt from the blue, a strike so quick and through so much traffic that only sheer luck could have stopped it. It was a disaster, but one Egypt could have lived down had it lost in extra time or penalty kicks.

But when the third goal came from Enzo Fernandez in stoppage time — a rather innocent-looking play that never should have ended up in the back of the net if Egypt was organized defensively — it made it very difficult to have the conversation that soccer desperately needs to have.

The United States men's national team was knocked out of the World Cup on Monday night after a rough showing against Belgium. 

The match, however, still drew a massive audience and set an all-time soccer record in the United States.

Fox announced Tuesday that 30 million people tuned in to watch the United States fall to Belgium 4-1 in Seattle. The audience peaked at just shy of 37 million people. That made it the most-watched soccer telecast in American history. 

By comparison, the NBA Finals earlier this summer averaged more than 20 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, which made it the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998. The deciding Game 5 of that series averaged 24.5 million viewers.

Belgium cruised to victory Monday at a sold-out Lumen Field in Seattle, which pushed it into the quarterfinals. The United States won its group and won a knockout-stage game for the first time since 2002, but largely fell flat Monday in a sloppy contest. Christian Pulisic struggled before leaving early with a leg injury, and Folarin Balogun — who was thrown into a controversy with FIFA and President Donald Trump in recent days after his red card in the first knockout-stage game — didn't impact the contest much at all. 

"Today wasn't a good day," midfielder Tyler Adams said after the loss. "It stings. This was a moment to have the opportunity to advance and really try and do something special.

"We fell short."

The World Cup final in 2022 drew about 16.8 million viewers on Fox in 2022 when Argentina beat France in Qatar. FIFA, however, estimates that the final match in that tournament reached more than 1.4 billion people worldwide and had a live audience of more than 570 million.

Belgium and Spain will square off in Southern California in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Down 0-2, with just 12 minutes of regular time left, the defending champions looked doomed. But Argentina has itself a Messi, and when you've got a Messi on your roster, you're always in the fight. 

In the 79th minute, Messi curled in toward Egypt's goal, then popped a chip right up for Cristian Romero to drive home. Just four minutes later, Messi threaded a laser through a thicket of limbs to equalize the match, setting up the inevitable winner in stoppage time. Expect anything different? 

Messi doesn't show much emotion in even the best moments, but on Tuesday, he wept openly on the pitch after the game, surely realizing how close he'd likely just come to the end of his World Cup career. His delirious teammates, meanwhile, decided it would be a good idea to toss him into the air: 

"I told him on the pitch to enjoy it because he deserved it," Lautaro Martínez said in Spanish after the match. "I told him we would keep giving everything, for ourselves, but above all for him, because this is his last World Cup and he has given us so much."

Meanwhile, beyond Atlanta Stadium, others were weighing in with their own takes, including someone who knows a thing or two about big comebacks involving Atlanta:

Well played, Tom. 

When we take off our red, white and blue-tinted glasses, we've got to admit that there's something a little precious about putting Brady — whose Super Bowl wins drew around 100 million viewers — on the level with Messi, who claimed the 2022 World Cup before an audience estimated at 15 times that amount. What we consider a good audience for, say, a World Series or NBA Finals game isn't much more than a rounding error in the global World Cup audience. 

So when Messi pulls off something like he did Tuesday, with a measurable percentage of the entire planet watching, it hits a bit harder than an exclusively American comeback. Tens of millions of people in Argentina and Egypt combined will remember this day, and remember the short, stocky, slightly hunched little fellow who engineered the miracle. 

"There really aren't many words left to describe Leo," Julián Alvarez said in Spanish after the match. "The World Cup he's having is incredible; we try to help him, support him, and enjoy every moment alongside him. We're also grateful for everything he does for us, and for the way he treats us. He's a legend, the best player in the world, in history, so, yeah, that's it."

This is, in all likelihood, Messi's final World Cup, which makes every moment like Tuesday all the more precious. He has, at most, four more games remaining. And for a good chunk of time on Tuesday, it looked like his World Cup time could be measured in minutes. Now, at least, he's bought himself a few more days. 

But how much more time does Messi have beyond Saturday's match? That's the key question hanging over La Albiceleste. Although Argentina comes in at second overall on FIFA's rankings, none of the squads it's beaten have ranked higher than 23rd overall. Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir stood on his head to nearly beat Argentina, yes, but the squads still alive in this year's tournament have entire rosters capable of playing at that level. 

Plus, Tuesday revealed an absolutely incandescent flaw in Messi's game: penalty kicks. He's missed two already this tournament, including one on Tuesday that would have equalized the match a whole lot earlier. He's now just four-for-eight on PKs in his entire World Cup career, yet he's still taking them for Argentina. Will that come back to bite Messi and the Argentine squad? It's worth considering. 

For now, though, we have at least one more match with Messi. One more chance to watch him lope around the pitch, walking at a scanning-the-grocery-aisles pace. One more opportunity to watch him lock in when the action picks up nearby. One more time to watch him bend the entire match, the entire sport to his will.

Following Monday's humbling elimination in the Round of 16 by Belgium — the fifth loss in six tries since 1994 they've departed at that point — the Americans will catch their breath and begin pivoting to the 2030 competition in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

Where things stand …

Who will coach the team?

The general consensus was Mauricio Pochettino would return to the European club scene as soon as the World Cup ended. On a 20-month contract after Gregg Berhalter's ouster, the 54-year-old Argentine was seen as a high-cost mercenary entrusted to prepare the U.S. for a home World Cup. Nothing more.

Summer is prime hiring season and, with a long playing and coaching background in Europe and homes in London and Barcelona, Pochettino figured to head back across the Atlantic.

That's not because he didn't enjoy coaching here or appreciate the program-record $6 million salary. It's just common for a World Cup boss to seek new adventures when the job is done, no matter how well the team fared.

But both Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation have suggested they could extend their alliance for another cycle. Talks are expected to resume soon.

"We had positive conversations with Mauricio before the World Cup about the future," the USSF said in a written statement Tuesday. "We agreed we would continue those conversations following a chance to rest and reflect post World Cup.

"We have a great deal of respect and gratitude for Mauricio, his staff and everyone part of the program. We have shared excitement about our potential and also shared clarity about the amount of work at all levels still required to achieve our ambition."

AP Photo/Manu Fernandez

Belying the image of a short-term fix, Pochettino came to embrace the USSF's long-term project. Whether the federation sees him as the steward of the team remains unclear.

Pochettino was hired by sporting director Matt Crocker, who abruptly bolted the USSF in April to work for a Saudi apparatus needing to build up its program before the country hosts the 2034 World Cup. No replacement was named.

To retain Pochettino, would the USSF be willing to hand him greater powers to shape not only the senior team but the pipeline to the top squad? With a spectacular national training center now open in the Atlanta area, the pieces are in place for greater integration and higher ambitions.

Should Pochettino decide to move on, the USSF undoubtedly will conduct a worldwide search. Jesse Marsch, an American guiding Canada, would have been a candidate, but he remains wickedly bitter about being passed over for the job when Berhalter was rehired in the summer of 2023.

What about the players?

This was their moment. Half the roster arrived with World Cup experience. The core players were in their mid-to-late 20s. Many are with clubs in top European leagues. The matches were at home in front of monster crowds.

Four years from now, Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie will be 31, Chris Richards and Tim Weah 30 and Antonee Robinson 32. Most, if not all, will maintain active status entering the next cycle, but by 2030, will they have passed their peak?

Pochettino identified and integrated newcomers, such as Alex Freeman, 21, and Sebastian Berhalter, 25. His trust in Malik Tillman, 24, paid dividends and his belief in Gio Reyna, 23, got the enigmatic midfielder back on track. Strikers Folarin Balogun and right wing Sergiño Dest are 25, and striker Ricardo Pepi is 23.

Omar Vega/USSF via Getty Images

At 38, captain Tim Ream's international career will end. Whoever is in charge will need to determine whether goalkeeper Matt Freese has a future in the international arena.

Injuries took midfielder Johnny Cardoso, 24, and forward Patrick Agyemang, 25, out of World Cup contention, and Pochettino made waves by not choosing midfielders Aidan Morris, Tanner Tessmann (both 24) and Diego Luna, 22.

Just 23, midfielder Yunus Musah is poised to reemerge after a lost year in Italy cost him a World Cup slot.

A wild card in the roster rebuilding is Noahkai Banks, a 19-year-old center back at Bundesliga club Augsburg who withdrew from World Cup consideration because he was undecided whether to represent the U.S. or Germany.

The hottest prospect from Major League Soccer is Zavier Gozo, a 19-year-old Real Salt Lake winger. Philadelphia forward Cavan Sullivan will be closely monitored when he turns 18 and moves to Europe late next year. A trio of Red Bull New York teenagers, led by Julian Hall, is on the rise under coach Michael Bradley, the former World Cup standout.

Goalkeeping prospects include Diego Kochen, 20, and Chris Brady, 22, the No. 3 choice at the World Cup.

What's next for the U.S.?

The players began departing the team hotel early Tuesday. Many will welcome vacations before club preseasons begin. Others will rejoin their sides for the resumption of the MLS season after the World Cup break.

The national team will not regroup until a new, extended international window commences, Sept. 21 to Oct. 6.

Teams are allowed to play up to four matches, and the U.S. is planning to play four at home. Details are being worked out. Because of Nations League commitments, European teams aren't available. South Americans are.

The U.S. will enter Concacaf Nations League play in November with the two-leg quarterfinals. The final four is in March. The next tournament is the Concacaf Gold Cup next summer.

The 2030 World Cup isn't so far away: Concacaf qualifying begins late next year.

Argentina's 3-2 stunner over Egypt Tuesday was the wildest game of a World Cup that's been filled with thrillers.

And the comeback from a 2-0 deficit late in the second half was the first of its kind.

Per Greg Harvey of OptaStats, no team in World Cup history has rallied from a two-goal deficit in the 75th minute or later to secure a win in regulation.

That stat alone is remarkable, regardless of who was on the field. But the fact that it was Argentina and Lionel Messi that mounted the comeback makes it that much more sensational.

The win ensured that Argentina would not fall in one of the great upsets in World Cup history. It kept the reigning champs' hopes alive of securing a second consecutive World Cup title. And it ensured that 39-year-old Messi would play in at least one more World Cup game.

All of those factors were at risk in the second half after Egypt had secured a stunning 2-0 lead thanks to a Mostafa Zico goal in the 67th minute.

That goal hammered home the reality that viewers might be watching the final minutes of Messi's World Cup career.

But Argentina was not willing to let this ride end.

In the 79th minute, Messi set up Cristian Romero for a header to cut Egypt's lead in half and keep hope alive of an Argentina rally.

Then, in the 83rd minute, Messi did it himself.

Gonzalo Montiel secured a chaotic cross in the box and delivered it to a charging Messi. Messi responded with a a strike off his left foot that bounced off of goaltender Mostafa Shoubir's hands to the top of the net.

A comeback that seemed impossible just five minutes earlier now seemed likely. And in the second minute of stoppage time, Enzo Fernández ensured that it was inevitable.

Fernández took a cross in transition from Lautaro Martínez and headed it into the back of the net to secure the 3-2 lead for Argentina.

From there, Egypt was out of answers, and the comeback was complete. The 3-2 score stood as the final, and Argentina advanced to a quarterfinal matchup against the winner of Tuesday's game between Colombia and Switzerland.

When it was done, Messi was given a hero's celebration by his teammates with arguably the greatest comeback in World Cup history secured.

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In this emotional and packed episode of Cooligans Daily Live, Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros break down the devastating aftermath of the USMNT's early exit from the World Cup following a crushing defeat against Belgium. The guys dive deep into the mixed post-match reactions from the squad, parsing Christian Pulisic’s controversial, nonchalant injury comments against Tim Ream’s raw, tearful vulnerability. They debate whether Pulisic truly possesses the leadership qualities and emotional relatability required of "Captain America" after a highly disappointing tournament performance where he failed to register a single shot on target.

Sparks fly as Alexis and Christian clash over whether this tournament cycle actually showed marketable progress for U.S. Soccer. While Christian finds pride in the team's tactical control against opponents like Paraguay and Australia, Alexis argues that bowing out at the Round of 16 represents a complete stagnation of the program. The hosts review the roster to highlight their tournament standouts—praising Folarin Balogun's defensive evolution and Malik Tillman's breakout performances—while heavily criticizing a shaky backline and an unsettled goalkeeping situation under Mauricio Pochettino.

Beyond the national team, the guys catch up on blockbuster domestic news as Gotham FC announces their official stadium move to Queens at Etihad Park alongside NYCFC. Turning back to global tournament action, they dissect the biggest international storylines, including Germany's shocking penalty shootout exit to Paraguay, Roberto Martinez’s questionable tactical reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal, and a wild geopolitical controversy surrounding a phone call between Donald Trump and FIFA's Gianni Infantino. Finally, they check in on the blistering Golden Boot race featuring Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi.

Timestamps:

(00:00) — Gotham FC's Move to Queens & Grieving the USMNT Exit

(04:41) — Christian Pulisic Post-Match Fallout & Leadership Critique

(11:22) — The Great Progress Debate: Did the USMNT Hit a New Level?

(18:41) — USMNT Tournament Awards: Breakout Standouts & Biggest Flops

(26:56) — Fixing U.S. Soccer: Goalkeeper Crisis & Looking Ahead to 2030

(34:51) — World Cup Coaching Blunders & International Players of the Tournament

(43:01) — Shock Exits, Tournament Villains & The Golden Boot Race

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all episodes of The Cooligans the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Two U.S. Soccer officials were reportedly suspended by FIFA ahead of the USMNT's game against Belgium. Team manager Sam Zapatka and U.S. Soccer vice president of security Frank Pannell were reportedly suspended ahead of that game, per Front Office Sports.

It's unclear what led to those suspensions. A spokesperson from U.S. Soccer directed all inquiries from Front Office Sports to FIFA, which declined comment. The U.S. Soccer spokesperson did, however, acknowledge the suspensions.

The suspensions could be tied to the Folarin Balogun situation, though there's no indication that's why Zapatka and Pannell were suspended.

The team found itself embroiled in controversy after Balogun was given a red card during the USMNT's 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday. Days later, FIFA reversed his one-game ban, enabling Balogun to play against Belgium.

Despite protests from the Belgian football federation — and an appeal — Balogun was allowed to take the pitch Tuesday. He was in the starting lineup for Mauricio Pochettino's squad.

The USMNT went on to lose the contest 4-1.

Ahead of Monday's contest, FIFA also released a 13-point statement from its disciplinary committee announcing punishments for Balogun and U.S. Soccer after Balogun was seen celebrating on the field following the team's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since Balogun was given a red card earlier in the match, that was a violation of FIFA rules. Both Balogun and U.S. Soccer were fined by the committee.

It's unclear whether Zapatka and Pannell were suspended for an issue related to Balogun returning to the field following his red card vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina or the subsequent fine issued by the FIFA disciplinary committee.

Zapatka and Pannell appear to be the only team officials suspended by FIFA during the 2026 World Cup, per Front Office Sports.

Zapatka has been with U.S. Soccer for 11 years, working his way up from a national teams coordinator to a team manager.

Pannell reportedly worked for the Secret Service and CIA before a career in private security, per Front Office Sports.

The stars have been out at the 2026 World Cup. We're finishing up the knockout rounds, and the tournament's top scorers are continuing to put on a show.

We've been tracking the race for the Golden Boot, the award that's given to the World Cup's top goal scorer. Assists are used as a tiebreaker if two or more players have the same goal total.

Argentine legend Lionel Messi keeps making his way back to the front of the pack. He reclaimed his spot Tuesday in a dramatic comeback victory over Egypt. Messi helped Argentina climb out of its two-goal World Cup tomb, assisting on a goal in the 79th minute and scoring the equalizer in the 83rd. That's after Messi couldn't convert a penalty earlier in the match, becoming the first player to miss multiple PKs in a single World Cup (excluding shootouts after extra time).

But that's merely a footnote now that Argentina's heading to the quarterfinals and Messi has eight goals in this year's tournament. Messi, 39, has scored in nine straight World Cup appearances, including in six straight knockout-round matches, dating back to the 2022 version of the tournament.

He once again finds himself leading France's Kylian Mbappé and Norway's Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race. Mbappé's two assists previously gave him the edge over both Messi and Haaland. Mbappé notched his seventh goal with a 70th-minute penalty kick in the Round of 16 on Saturday against Paraguay.

Mbappé has 19 career World Cup goals. Messi is the current record holder with 21. In this year's tournament, they've each topped Germany's Miroslav Klose (16 goals), the previous all-time leading goal scorer in men's World Cup history, and Brazil's Marta (17 goals), who's still atop the women's World Cup goal-scoring leaderboard.

Mbappé won the Golden Boot during the 2022 World Cup, which culminated in his squad falling to Argentina in a nail-biting final that went to PKs. Messi's never won the Cup's Golden Boot before.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there are four players with at least six goals in this year's World Cup.

(Note: Players whose teams have been eliminated from the tournament are not in the list below.)

World Cup 2026: Daily schedule | Group schedule, results | Standings

2026 World Cup Golden Boot race

Haaland used a late-game brace to dispatch Brazil on Sunday in the Round of 16. He didn't even play in Norway's final group-stage match, and yet he has seven goals as well.

England's Harry Kane is two goals behind Messi and one goal shy of Haaland and Mbappé. On Sunday, Kane delivered a goal and an assist in England's roller-coaster Round of 16 victory over Mexico. Kane won the Golden Boot during the 2018 World Cup, and he's in the mix for that prestigious honor once more.

Messi, France's Ousmane Dembélé and Canada's Jonathan David have authored hat tricks in this year's World Cup. Messi's scoring clinic came in Argentina's opener versus Algeria. Dembélé's took place in rapid fashion in group play versus Norway, and David's three-goal showcase arrived amid Canada's first-ever World Cup win, a 6-0 trouncing of Qatar.

We'll be monitoring the Golden Boot race throughout the tournament on this page, so bookmark it and come back to see who's in the lead.

But even he's not sure about that after Tuesday's action at the World Cup.

Egypt held a 2-0 lead over Argentina in the 79th minute and was roughly 20 minutes away from upsetting the reigning champions and potentially ending Lionel Messi's World Cup career.

But Argentina's Cristian Romero scored in the 79th minute. Messi equalized in the 83rd minute. And Enzo Fernández scored in stoppage time in the 92nd minute to secure a stunning 3-2 win for Argentina.

With the win, Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals with its hopes of a repeat World Cup title intact. Egypt's World Cup ends in agony, excruciatingly short of one of the great upsets in the tournament's history.

Per OptaStats' Greg Harvey, it marked the first time in World Cup history that a team has rallied from two-plus goals down in the 75th minute or later to win in regulation.

And Brady has a new candidate for the greatest comeback — and the greatest collapse — in sports history.

If you're unaware, Brady's New England Patriots rallied from a 28-3 second-half deficit to secure a 34-28 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. The comeback secured the fifth of seven Super Bowl victories for Brady and elevated him to the GOAT status that he enjoys today.

It was a monumental achievement in the career of one of the all-time greats in any sport. The same can be said for Messi's and Argentina's win Tuesday, especially if they go on to win the World Cup.

And surely not lost to Brady: Argentina secured Tuesday's stunner at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — the home of the Atlanta Falcons.

Lionel Messi may arguably be the greatest soccer player of all time, but his penalty kick history is not a highlighted part of his decorated résumé.

During Tuesday's World CupRound of 16 match against Egypt, the Argentine star had an opportunity to level the match in the 21st minute. Enzo Fernández was fouled by Haissem Hassan in the Pharaohs' penalty box, earning Argentina a free kick.

Up stepped Messi, who leads the World Cup Golden Boot race over Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland with eight goals. Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir would deny him the tiebreaking goal.

The all-time leading goal scorer in World Cups has seemingly found penalty kicks to be one of the very few areas where he's been unable to succeed. According to Opta, Messi has had eight penalty kick attempts in his career in the tournament. He has failed to score on half of them.

Tuesday's denial was Messi's second missed penalty kick of the tournament. He is now the first player to miss multiple penalties in a single World Cup (excluding shootouts after extra time.)

Ghana's Asamoah Gyan (2006, 2010) is the only other player to miss multiple penalties over a World Cup career.

Messi's World Cup penalty woes began at the 2018 tournament. He missed a chance in the 64th minute against Iceland, which would have broken a 1-1 deadlock.

Four years ago in Qatar, Messi had five penalty kick opportunities. He would score on four of them, including one in the final against France. His only miss came during a 2-0 win over Poland in the group stage.

Messi could have opened the scoring in their group play finale in 2026 against Austria, but his attempt was fired wide of the post. He would score twice during a 2-0 win.

It might be something in the air in this tournament as players have converted just 32 of 49 penalties in this World Cup. That is a 65.3% conversion rate, the lowest since 1966, per Opta.

Penalty kicks may not be Messi’s thing, but in-game heroics certainly have been. After the PK miss, Argentina scored three times over the final 13 minutes of the game during a dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt. Messi, of course, scored the equalizer in the 83rd minute.

ATLANTA — Like the sunrise, the tide, and the changing of the seasons, Leo Messi is inevitable. And like a natural force, he willed Argentina to an astounding comeback victory over Egypt.

Held scoreless and down two goals 78 minutes into the game, Argentina scored three times in 13 minutes, with Messi striking the equalizer, to win 3-2 and push on through to the World Cup quarterfinals. It was a shocking turnaround for the defending champions, leaving Egypt as arguably the most heartbroken team in the tournament, so close to glory. 

The narratives around both clubs ran in starkly different directions. Argentina, the defending champion, was a suddenly vulnerable Goliath coming off a treacherous knockout round matchup against tiny Cape Verde that ran all the way into extra time. Despite going 4-0 coming into Tuesday's match, La Albiceleste has not had a serious challenge this entire World Cup. Messi had stacked seven goals atop one another, a magnificent run for the apparently ageless 39-year-old, but could it continue as the competition grew tougher? 

Egypt, meanwhile, continued to revel in the twin joys of its first-ever World Cup victory and a dramatic penalty-kick win over Australia four days ago. The number of fans in Atlanta sporting blue-and-white-striped Messi No. 10 jerseys outnumbered the entire Egyptian contingent by at least a factor of five, but fans of the Pharaohs still showed out well. Pharaoh headdresses and MohamedSalah jerseys dotted the inside of sold-out Atlanta Stadium, and the vibe was full-on playing-with-house-money joy.  

The round-of-16 match began with both teams in feisty moods, testing the edges of one another's defenses. Egypt, shooting at a goal backed entirely by thousands of blue-and-white-striped Argentine faithful, threw a few crosses at keeper Emiliano Martínez. But those were merely a preamble for the 15th-minute uppercut: a high, arcing beyond-the-box shot by Marawan Attia that Yasser Ibrahim headed past a motionless Martínez. 

Three minutes later, Argentina appeared ready to equalize. A penalty in Egypt's box, a penalty kick awarded, Messi sauntering with the ball in his hand … the GOAT was going to even up the score, right? Not quite …

Mostafa Shoubir guessed correctly, blocking Messi's shot. That marked Messi's fourth World Cup penalty kick miss, his second of this tournament, against four successful shots — a surprisingly weak run for such a prolific scorer. The match rolled into the hydration break with Argentina in an unexpectedly vulnerable position. 

La Albiceleste came out of the break firing, but Shoubir was up to the challenge. Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Messi all took shots at the Egyptian keeper; all came up short. On Argentina's sixth attempt of the half, Julián Alvarez fired a shot off a brilliant Nicolás Tagliafico cross that Shoubir once again deflected, but the Egyptian keeper landed hard on the turf and required a bit of time to catch his breath.

The first half ended with Egypt up 1-0, snapping an astounding Argentina streak. La Albiceleste had not trailed at the half of a World Cup match — any match — since July 3, 2010, when Argentina lost a 4-0 howler to Germany. After staying above water for 22 matches since then, Argentina headed into the Atlanta Stadium locker room knowing that they'd missed multiple opportunities to score … and that Shoubir wouldn't be making it easy on them the second half. 

Egypt spent the first minutes of the second half the same way they spent most of the first, flirting with danger by allowing Argentina to work deep in Pharaoh territory. But at the same time, Argentina played with all the intensity of an off-year friendly, at a stately pace with little aggression. As the game clock ticked toward one hour, and still Argentina couldn't manage to get past Shoubir. 

And then: disaster for Argentina, glory for Egypt, two times over.

In what could have been a crushing blow, VAR overturned a magnificent 58th-minute goal from Zico off a Salah assist. The on-field referee didn't make the call, an after-the-fact video review did. 

And that call would have been a crime against soccer … had Egypt not promptly come back and scored again. Once again, Zico streaked toward the goal, and once again he found the back of the net. And this time, VAR couldn't do a damn thing about it: 

Zico's goal took all the energy out of the overwhelmingly pro-Argentina crowd, but 10 minutes later, Argentina's Cristian Romero whipped it up again with, at long last, the first Argentine goal of the afternoon. Romero headed in a Messi cross to cut the Egyptian lead to 2-1. 

And then, well … the inevitable. In the minutes after Romero's goal, Egypt was clinging to its one-goal lead with both hands … and then Messi ambled up and stomped on their fingers. With his trademark blend of otherworldly vision, laser-guided precision and quicksilver speed, Messi rifled a shot that Shoubir only nicked but couldn't stop: 

For Messi, it was his World Cup leading eighth goal of the tournament, putting him in the lead (for now) for the Golden Boot.

Regulation ran out with both squads level at 2, and the only surprise left was that stoppage time was seven minutes and not, say, 23. Two minutes into stoppage time, Fernandez completed the all-too-probable comeback, heading in the go-ahead goal:

Argentina now awaits the winner of Colombia vs. Switzerland. Egypt, like so many other nations this World Cup, must now wait another four years, wondering what might have been. 

Already considered by many as the greatest of all time, Messi has now scored more goals than any other player in World Cup history. He earned his 17th and 18th during Argentina's 2-0 win over Austria. Then he added another against Jordan on a sublime free kick from outside the box for his 19th in the competition. Now, it's just a question of how many more he'll add to his ledger this tournament.

France's Kylian Mbappé moved the No. 2 spot on the all-time list in the knockout rounds, but Messi still has a narrow lead.

Here are the highest-scoring players in the history of FIFA's quadrennial global tournament.

REUTERS / REUTERS

No. 9 (tied): Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (11)

Portugal's all-time leading man made his way into this list late in Portugal's game against Croatia in the Round of 32 after having not scored in the knockout round of the World Cup in his career before the penalty kick in the second half of the 2026 tournament. He had two goals earlier in the tournament against Uzbekistan and has scored in all six World Cup tournaments he's played in.

BORIS HORVAT via Getty Images

No. 9 (tied): Jürgen Klinsmann, Germany (11)

Klinsmann is probably better known now as a former U.S. and Germany manager, but in his heyday, the forward was a scoring menace. He tallied 11 goals across three World Cups, including in 1990 when Germany won the tournament.

- via Getty Images

No. 9 (tied): Sándor Kocsis, Hungary (11)

Kocsishad a national team record of seven hat tricks for Hungary and scored all 11 of his World Cup goals at the 1954 tournament. He had two hat tricks in that World Cup but the Hungarians fell in the final against West Germany.

STAFF via Getty Images

No. 8: Pelé, Brazil (12)

While many consider him the GOAT, the Brazilian legend needs no introduction. He made his debut at the 1958 World Cup and delivered six goals as a 17-year-old while Brazil won it all. He only played in four matches total over the following two World Cups, but Brazil won it all again in 1962. To cap off his career, he led his country to another title at the 1970 World Cup for a total of 12 goals.

Keystone-France via Getty Images

No. 7: Just Fontaine, France (13)

France striker Just Fontaine stands alone in history in terms of goals at a single World Cup. He scored an astonishing 13 goals in six games at Sweden 1958 – a record for one World Cup. 'Justo' had a hat trick, two braces, a game-winner, a goal against champion Brazil and a four-goal outing in the third-place playoff game.

Chris Brunskill/Fantasista via Getty Images

No. 5 (tied): Harry Kane, England (14)

England's talisman came into this tournament with eight goals across his first two World Cups. He had six in 2018 and two more in 2022 as the Three Lions got to the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. He had a brace in the 2026 World Cup opener against Croatia, and then nabbed another against Panama to overtake Gary Lineker as England's all-time leader in the competition. Then he saved the Three Lions with a third brace in the Round of 32 against Congo and added another goal against Mexico in the Round of 16.

STAFF via Getty Images

No. 5 (tied): Gerd Müller, West Germany (14)

Müller is another player whose efficiency has stood the test of time. He only played in two World Cups (1970 and 1974), but delivered 10 goals to win the Golden Boot in the former and added another four goals in his second and final tournament, which West Germany won.

ANTONIO SCORZA via Getty Images

No. 4: Ronaldo, Brazil (15)

Another Brazilian legend, Ronaldo made the World Cup-winning 1994 team but didn't see any action. Over the next three tournaments though, Ronaldo went on a tear, scoring four goals in 1998, eight in 2002 when Brazil won it all, and then he tacked on another three at his final World Cup in 2006.

Adam Davy - EMPICS via Getty Images

No. 3: Miroslav Klose, Germany (16)

The name that's been mentioned a lot as Messi and Mbappé pursued history, Klose was best known as a relentless poacher who never missed an opportunity in front of the net. The striker had five goals each in 2002 and 2006. Then he added another four in 2010 and capped off his international career with two more at the 2014 World Cup as Germany hoisted the trophy.

Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images

No. 2: Kylian Mbappé, France (19)

The French sparkplug has rapidly ascended this list and is expected to chase Lionel Messi at the top of it. He's only 27 years old and has 17 goals in 18 World Cup games. He had four in his debut at the 2018 World Cup when France won it all, eight in 2022 when France lost to Argentina in the title game, and he has continued to pile on at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

picture alliance via Getty Images

No. 1: Lionel Messi, Argentina (21)

The Argentinian is simply adding to his legacy with every dart through an opposing defense. He shredded Algeria for his first World Cup hat trick in the team's opener and broke the record with a classic strike and then added a second goal against Algeria. He started on the bench against Jordan, but it didn't matter. He scored on a free kick all the same. Then, in the Round of 32, he opened the scoring against Cape Verde with a cute punch past the keeper for his 20th goal in the competition. This is Messi's sixth World Cup as he looks to follow up the 2022 tournament where he scored seven goals and led Argentina to the title.

FIFA has released a statement condemning the racist abuse directed at streamer IShowSpeed during last week's Argentina-Cape Verde Round of 32 World Cup match in Miami.

Speed, who has over 56 million YouTube subscribers and over 4.1 million followers on X, was streaming live from the game at Hard Rock Stadium while wearing a Cape Verde jersey. A fan near him in the stands used a racial slur and told him to "go home." A fan was also heard telling the streamer to "go cry at the zoo."

"FIFA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms. These actions have no place in football, at the FIFA World Cup, or anywhere in society," FIFA said in a statement on Tuesday.

"FIFA was made aware of an incident involving a supporter and #IShowSpeed at Miami Stadium during the Argentina vs Cabo Verde match on 3 July 2026 and immediately initiated an investigation.

"The FIFA World Cup is a celebration of unity, diversity and respect. It brings together people, cultures and communities from around the world, and anyone who acts in a manner that undermines these values is not welcome in our game."

Speed's livestream of the match ended after Argentina's 3-2 win in extra time. He was filmed walking through the concourse and out of the stadium while being escorted by several bodyguards as interested fans walked behind him hoping for an interaction.

They assembled a roster teeming with players who went abroad as teenagers and earned call-ups to top-tier European clubs. They shelled out millions of dollars to secure a respected, big-name head coach. They played every match on home soil in front of crowds awash in red, white and blue.

There was ample reason to believe that this could be a breakthrough World Cup for the U.S. men's national team, yet the ending felt achingly familiar Monday night in Seattle when the Americans trudged off the field in defeat. 

A U.S. World Cup campaign that began with such enthusiasm and promise screeched to a halt with a lopsided Round of 16 loss against a superior opponent. Belgium outclassed the U.S. from the opening minute until the final whistle, exposing how wide the gap remains between the Stars and Stripes and a European power, even one whose celebrated golden generation is now past its prime. 

If anything, the 4-1 final score was flattering to a U.S team that was vulnerable on defense, slow to 50-50 balls and careless in possession. The lone American goal came on a Malik Tillman free kick that deflected off a Belgian defender's head and into the net.

Another humbling loss begs the question: If the U.S. can't seriously contend for a World Cup now, will it ever make that leap? Eight times in nine World Cup appearances since 1990, the U.S. has failed to advance beyond the Round of 16. Only in 2002 did the Americans make the World Cup quarterfinals, famously suffering a controversial 1-0 loss to Germany after Torsten Frings' goal-preventing handball went uncalled. 

The most common explanation for the USMNT's inability to level up is that this nation's biggest, fastest, strongest athletes typically pursue other sports besides soccer. As a Houston criminal defense attorney put it on social media on Monday night, "Every four years we take the best 11 athletes in every other country and put them up against the 4000th best athletes in America, and see if we can win. It's a crazy exercise."

Jane Gershovich/ISI Photos via Getty Images

There's little doubt the U.S. soccer talent pool would be deeper if LeBron James grew up dreaming to become a center back or if Tyreek Hill was using his speed and acceleration to run onto through balls or stretch the field in counter-attacks. The majority of elite NBA, NFL and MLB players never played high-level soccer as kids. Even those who did, like Odell Beckham Jr. or Nolan Arenado, eventually quit to specialize in other sports.

And yet ask those in soccer circles if siphoning talent away from other sports would transform the USMNT into a global power, and the question will inspire plenty of eye rolls. They are quick to point out that skill is the most important quality in soccer, that many global superstars rely on ball control and technical ability rather than speed and strength.

At 5-foot-7 and less than 150 pounds, Lionel Messi has been known since childhood as "La Pulga," which in Spanish means "the flea." Croatian playmaker Luka Modrić is only an inch taller than Messi. Spanish phenom Lamine Yamal is 5-10. So are French superstars Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé. For every 6-foot-5 Erling Haaland who dominates by overpowering defenders and winning balls in the air, there are many others who use their decision-making and mastery with the ball at their feet to help their teams win.  

"I just don't think it's as simple as if we had 10 LeBrons playing soccer, we'd automatically be a better soccer country," former U.S. men's national team defender and current Portland Thorns general manager Jeff Agoos told Yahoo Sports prior to the World Cup. "Soccer is such a skilled sport. It's really hard to control a soccer ball, and it takes a lot of time to learn that skill. I don't think it's always about being bigger, faster, stronger."

To Agoos and many others, U.S. Soccer's biggest issue isn't insufficient athleticism. It's how the athletes who do want to pursue soccer have been developed. 

The annual cost of playing travel soccer is a barrier that prevents many kids from low-income families from participating. Confusion over the numerous different youth soccer leagues and pathways is also an issue, as is the fact that winning is often a bigger priority for youth coaches than showing patience to promote player development.

"Our youth soccer in this country is a disaster," former USMNT star Landon Donovan told "The Rich Eisen Show" last month. "You have all these youth clubs charge you crazy fees. It's all about winning. The kids get left behind because the clubs want to make money, the coaches want to make money. They want to win and the kids don't develop."

U.S. Soccer first tried to bolster its youth development system in 1999 when it created a residency program to provide an elite training environment for the best 20 youth players in the country. Eight years later came the launch of U.S. Soccer's development academy, which took the residency program model to the club level in hopes of providing thousands more teenage boys better opportunities to compete and develop. 

By the time the developmental academy dissolved in 2020, Major League Soccer clubs had begun investing millions of dollars in youth academies. Some clubs even have programs that begin at the U-9 level.

Some of the best American players on this summer's World Cup team came through the MLS Academy system before heading across the Atlantic. Tyler Adams developed through the New York Red Bulls Academy. Weston McKennie, Chris Richards and Ricardo Pepi are products of the FC Dallas Academy. Gio Reyna played in NYCFC's academy before joining Borussia Dortmund.

The American player pool has deepened to the point that Mauricio Pochettino, the aforementioned high-priced head coach, left players who are contributing to high-level European clubs off the roster. Atalanta's Yunus Musah was a snub four years after he was a fixture in the USMNT starting XI in Qatar. Atletico Madrid's Johnny Cardoso was uncertain to make the USMNT roster until an ill-timed high ankle sprain eliminated him from consideration.

"Just because you're playing in Europe doesn't automatically mean you're a national team level player anymore," former USMNT administrator and MLS assistant coach Renato Capobianco told Yahoo Sports. "I think that shows tremendous growth."

John Todd/ISI Photos via Getty Images

The big hurdle that the American developmental system will always have to overcome is that the soccer culture here is different from futbol-crazed countries like Spain, France or Argentina. Yamal, Mbappé and Messi each possess innate physical gifts but they also were born into cultures where soccer was everywhere, where they developed an addiction to having a ball at their feet and where they were pushed to maximize their talents.

Yamal started honing his skills on a concrete slab that doubles as a soccer pitch for kids in his hometown of Rocafonda, 20 miles up the Spanish coast from Barcelona. It was there he scored his first goals, where he developed a knack for slyly dancing past defenders with an array of tricks and flicks.

Mbappé grew up in the suburbs of Paris with posters of Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar blanketing his bedroom walls. He and his friends all dreamed the same dream — to play professional football. 

"Football is just different for us," Mbappé once wrote in the Players Tribune. "It is essential. It is every day. It is like bread and water."

Hours of unstructured time with a ball at their feet is more difficult for American kids to replicate. There aren't as many pickup games in parks or schoolyards in Birmingham, Alabama, St. Louis, Missouri, or Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

Perhaps that's as big a reason as any that the U.S. has not been able to close the gap with the Belgiums of the world, to make the leap from World Cup mainstay to World Cup contender. 

In 1994, Thomas Dooley was part of a USMNT that advanced out of its group on home soil before falling 1-0 to eventual champion Brazil in the round of 16. Thirty-two years later, it surprises Dooley that the USMNT has advanced further than that only once. 

"With how big the fan base is right now and all the academies they have now, I would've thought we'd at least be in a semifinal by now," Dooley told Yahoo Sports. "And yet we're still not really further than what we did in '94. There must be a reason for that."

As the USMNT enters a new World Cup cycle, that answer remains elusive.

SEATTLE — A U.S. World Cup campaign that began with exaltation and promise, with swelling momentum both on the field and across the country, boosting a sport to towering levels, came to a screeching and distressing halt Monday.

With a golden chance to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in 24 years — and further galvanize a nation that had embraced this team like no other — the U.S. missed assignments, defended naively and made countless mistakes that Belgium punished with merciless efficiency.

The 4-1 loss at sold-out Lumen Field looked and felt like the Round of 16 loss to the Netherlands four years ago in Qatar. The gap between an elite European side — even a Belgian one past its prime — and the U.S. was profound.

"Today wasn't a good day," midfielder Tyler Adams said afterward. "It stings. This was a moment to have the opportunity to advance and really try and do something special.

"We fell short."

The Americans were in trouble from the first minute and, after drawing even on another Malik Tillman free kick, they conceded the go-ahead goal two minutes later and never fully recovered.

While Belgium will face Spain on Friday (3 p.m. ET) in the Los Angeles area, the U.S. will cherish its accomplishments — winning the group after just two matches and winning a knockout game for the first time since 2002 — but also lament its performance when the lights were brightest.

Christian Pulisic, the face of the program, did not play well before departing with a leg injury early in the second half. Folarin Balogun, the subject of controversy created by FIFA the past two days, was not much of a factor.

Winger Sergiño Dest was pulled at the half. Captain Tim Ream, who had performed well all tournament, was exposed. Goalkeeper Matt Freese's blunder all but ended the U.S. hopes.

It was a deflating day for coach Mauricio Pochettino and his confident bunch.

REUTERS / REUTERS

With Balogun cleared to play, despite a red card in the Round of 32, Pochettino started his first-choice lineup for the second straight match and third time in five matches.

Alex Freeman, Chris Richards and Ream shielded Freese, while Tyler Adams and Tillman worked the middle of the field, Dest and Antonee Robinson ran the flanks and Weston McKennie and Pulisic collaborated with Balogun.

Belgium entered this World Cup with a foundation of famous players in a final bid for championship glory. The best, however, that Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Co. had managed was third place at the 2018 World Cup. The Red Devils failed to escape the 2022 group stage and fell well short in three successive European Championships.

This summer, they drew with Egypt and Iran before blasting New Zealand and needing a miraculous comeback to overcome Senegal in the Round of 32.

Nonetheless, Belgium is European royalty with elite talent, including Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans, Arsenal midfielder Leandro Trossard and Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku, who shredded the U.S. in a 5-2 friendly in March in Atlanta. Real Madrid's Courtois remains one of the world's finest keepers.

While Tielemans, Trossard and Courtois started, Doku, Lukaku and De Bruyne were on the bench. Doku had missed the second match of group play with a respiratory infection but appeared in the subsequent two games.

In the buildup, Ream said, "We're in a new environment. This is a completely different game than in March."

The style of this match was sure to change since the U.S. faced Bosnia and Herzegovina, which deployed defensive tactics that tested the Americans' patience and kept the score level until Balogun's goal just before intermission.

After facing few serious bids in his prior three appearances, Freese went to work 45 seconds into the match. He needed to soar to his right to deny Timothy Castagne's 26-yarder targeting the top corner. It was a sign of things to come.

Belgium was calculating in possession, an approach that drew derision from the crowd. It was successful, however.

After Tielemans whiffed on what should've been a goal, Belgium went ahead.

Freeman attempted to alleviate pressure by heading out from deep in the box. At the top of the box, Nicolas Raskin took the initiative, stepping in front of the ball-watching Dest as well as McKennie, settling the ball and taking two touches before hooking a cross between Ream and Robinson for Charles De Ketelaere to tap in.

Desperate Americans, on the field and in the stands, looked to the sideline for an offside flag. Rightfully, there was none. The U.S. had blown its assignment.

Belgium continued dictating play. U.S. possession yielded nothing of substance. Pulisic wasn't a factor and Balogun was left to chase the ball as the Red Devils remained patient and deliberate. Famous for its ear-splitting volume, Lumen Field fell silent.

The first promising moment came in the 30th minute, when Balogun drew a foul 25 yards out.

Five days prior, Tillman had secured the 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina with a marvelous free kick off-center just beyond the penalty area. This one was straight on and a few yards deeper. Unlike the last match, this attempt did not clear the wall, striking substitute Hans Vanaken's head.

The contact diverted the ball's flight. Courtois went one way, the ball the other, fluttering into the net. Tillman had done it again, albeit with some assistance.

The good times lasted less than two minutes.

Trossard carried to the end line, taking two U.S. players with him. He lifted a cross into the six-yard box, where De Ketelaere timed his jump to beat Ream and nodded in the header.

Furious with his team's lapse, Pochettino booted a water bottle carrier along the sideline. This was not the resolute team he had watched the past month.

In Qatar four years ago, the U.S. halved a two-goal deficit before conceding another goal five minutes later.

Belgium's menace continued. The U.S. was fortunate Dodi Lukebakio failed to make solid contact on a clear bid in the box. American attacks were more hopeful than substantive. On the last touch of the half, Pulisic's corner kick was useless.

Knowing the U.S. couldn't afford to continue this way, Pochettino made adjustments at halftime. Gio Reyna entered in central midfield, Dest departed and, in his place, Freeman had greater responsibility on the right flank.

The U.S. outlook improved, but the Red Devils absorbed pressure.

Then it all fell apart.

On a long ball over the U.S. defense, Freese came out of the box and calmly chested down the ball. With De Ketelaere pressuring from behind, Freese began to swing his left leg and stopped. Now he was in big trouble.

On Freese's second try, the Belgian striker deflected the ball to Vanaken for a 35-yard one-timer that an off-balance Ream failed to block.

It got worse. Pulisic was forced to leave with a right leg injury, suffered moments earlier when, on a shot attempt, he kicked an opponent instead of the ball.

Sebastian Berhalter entered. Later, striker Ricardo Pepi replaced Adams. It was desperation time for the U.S., which now had to contend with Doku and Lukaku.

Richards' giveaway in the penalty area allowed Lukaku to apply the finishing touches in stoppage time.

Time melted away, not only on the match but on an otherwise unforgettable few weeks.

Here's how the USMNT vs. Belgium match unfolded in realtime.

There was the immense disappointment of the 4-1 Round of 16 loss to Belgium, a match that got off on the wrong foot and never seemed quite right. The U.S. was outclassed by European royalty, reduced to a wobbly team that, after playing with energy and cohesion for weeks, was out of its depth.

"It was unlike any other performances we've had this summer, to be honest," left back Antonee Robinson said. "It's hard to say where it went wrong."

There were also happy memories of what the U.S. achieved over the past month, winning with style and excitement, and inspiring a country hungry for high-end success from its men's national team.

They will depart the World Cup, though, with the lingering duality that a good tournament ended with a mighty thud.

"I know it hasn't ended the way we wanted it to, but I think [everyone has] seen it definitely united the nation, and we've introduced a lot of people to the beautiful game," striker Folarin Balogun said. "So that's a huge positive to not be overlooked."

It should not be overlooked. The U.S. won Group D with one match to spare and showed Americans can play with rhythm and style.

For all their gains, the Americans found themselves back where they often are, leaving the competition at the same juncture. The exit ramp was the same in 1994, 2010, 2014, 2022 and now at home.

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

They'll be able to say they won a knockout match for the first time in 24 years, when they reached the quarterfinals by beating regional rival Mexico in South Korea. But this year's triumph came in a round that never existed before.

The U.S. won three World Cup matches for the first time, but while beating Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia and Herzegovina was uplifting, none were elite opponents. Belgium is barely elite these days, yet the Red Devils pushed all the right buttons in dismantling the U.S. and taking the big, loud crowd out of the equation.

"A disappointing day," said goalkeeper Matt Freese, whose second-half howler put the outcome to rest.

"We were not the same team that during the tournament showed quality — a very bad day," coach Mauricio Pochettino said.

"When you concede goals that easily against a team of that quality and that caliber, it's going to be difficult," midfielder Tyler Adams said. "We gave them good chances, or even half-chances, and they finished them."

Asked about major presences Monday, Adams said, "Anyone a major presence on the field today?"

Not in a U.S. uniform. Aside from Malik Tillman's deflected free kick that fooled world-class goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the attack lacked the flow, elegance and ruthlessness of most previous matches.

Players searched for answers.

"We looked like we lacked energy," Robinson said. "We weren't as fluid as we have been. Just disappointed to lose a game not in the manner of how we've represented ourselves the rest of the tournament."

There was another answer: For all its high marks this summer, the U.S. remains in the second tier of international soccer, still behind the Belgiums and Englands, Argentinas and Frances of the world.

The Americans have failed to take the next step time and time again, and usually it's a European team that swats them away.

Alex Grimm via Getty Images

The U.S. defense was considered the weak link entering the tournament, but after strong performances in prior matches, there was growing confidence the team could slow a Belgian side that rang up five goals in a March friendly between the teams in Atlanta.

From the start, however, the Americans were in big trouble. Players reacted slowly and were caught ball-watching. Energy was lacking. Assignments were missed. Pochettino's halftime adjustments took hold but the equalizer never came.

Then Freese panicked with the ball at his feet outside the penalty area. A match within reach was now out of it.

He called it an "error in judgement" in failing to clear the ball.

Everyone watching called it a gift.

"The goalkeeper made a mistake, because we pushed him to," Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said.

Freese wasn't the only one. The face of the team, Christian Pulisic, had a strong opening match against Paraguay but then got hurt and never left an impression.

"I felt really good this summer playing with the guys, and I thought my level was high," said Pulisic, who did not score in the tournament. "It's disappointing. I didn't quite have the moments I was hoping to and try to help us to really push and get over this next step of beating a really good team."

The U.S. is a good team, but it's not a really good team.

Getting to the quarterfinals in a home World Cup would have done wonders for the program. Losing in the Round of 16? Meh.

"It's not like you are in a rocket and you improve and you grow like this," Pochettino said while gesturing up. "We improve a lot, but the problem, you improve, but sometimes you need to go little by little. It's not linear that you are going to grow so quickly. I am so proud because in one year, with all the circumstances, I've seen this team show we can play football, we can play soccer. We can compete."

As for his future, Pochettino's contract expires this month. Both he and the U.S. Soccer Federation have suggested they might renew their partnership.

"Now is the moment to assess the tournament and, for sure, in the next weeks, we can start to talk, if the federation wants to talk," Pochettino said.

Pochettino deserves credit for making the U.S. fun to watch — a departure from past teams that had to grind out results and often faced long odds in the knockout stage. This team might not have been favored Monday, but it liked its chances.

Along the journey, the U.S. brought joy to a nation divided in so many ways. Tens of millions watched the matches and watch parties popped up all over the place. Soccer had broken into the mainstream, thanks in large part to Pochettino's likable band.

"To feel the energy and the support from this country and from the fans over the last five weeks has been really indescribable," Robinson said. "It was such an honor to play for them."

It just ended sooner than everyone hoped.

And it didn't even make a difference.

The sky-high hopes of this USMNT instead ended with a disastrous 4-1 loss to Belgium. The U.S. attack was nearly nonexistent; Balogun, supposedly the player who would be crucial to a win, was largely neutralized by the Belgian defense from the start.

In World Cups, because there are only so many opponents, things tend to move in cycles. It's easy to look at Monday's loss to Belgium and think of another Round of 16 loss to Belgium, back in 2014. But that was a 2-1 loss in extra time, after a lights-out, record-setting goalkeeping performance from Tim Howard. This was a 4-1 loss where Belgium dismantled a U.S. team that had shown generational promise with embarrassing ease. This was far more demoralizing.

Postgame, USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino was transparent about the poor performance — but said that it wasn't good to pin the loss on outside distractions.

"We don't need to find another excuse. I think we were not good enough. It wasn't our day. We didn't perform in the way that we're supposed to perform or show our quality," Pochettino said. "All that was happening around was around, but I think it wasn't a situation that affects us in the group. All the teams can have one day sometimes that is, you don't perform and nothing is right for you. And today was that type of day that you suffer because you can never connect with the game."

"I think [it] didn't affect our performance," Pochettino added later. "The way that we performed, we performed, and it's not an excuse."

Luke Hales via Getty Images

Balogun entered this game as the USMNT's leading goalscorer, the kind of striker that makes an immediate difference on the field. But despite days of thoughts about whether any American win would feel "tainted" by the situation, the resulting U.S. performance was so uninspiring that Balogun's inclusion felt like an afterthought.

"We were happy that we had the opportunity for him to play. I think he tried today to be a presence and a nuisance, and at times he was getting the ball in behind and doing what he does," Tyler Adams told reporters. "Just didn't have too many opportunities."

Similar to his coach, Balogun said that he had been focused on doing his job when speaking to reporters. He also noted that he didn't have any involvement in FIFA's decision to clear him to play, but that it didn't matter, when Belgium was "the better team."

"I feel we didn't have a good game," he said. "When you know you're given a red card, usually the protocol is you don't play in the following game, and then when that decision is overturned, of course, it's going to be controversial. I just had a job to do."

Tim Ream, like Adams, said that the team did a good job of avoiding "outside noise" heading into the game.

"It's one of those things — that's the world we live in. We were fully focused on us as a group and as a team, and fully focused on the game and not really worried about what was being said or debated in the outside world," Ream said.

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The USMNT's World Cup run comes to a crashing, embarrassing halt after a 4-1 dismantling by Belgium in the Round of 16. Hosts Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros try to process a complete tactical and fundamental capitulation on home soil. Despite winning the possession battle with 57%, the Americans looked paralyzed by fear and completely disconnected on the pitch. This allowed a heavily rotated Belgian squad playing without Kevin De Bruyne or Jérémy Doku to exploit amateur defensive errors from start to finish.

MLS on Apple TV analyst Taylor Twellman joins the studio to deliver a brutal reality check on the current state of US Soccer. The guys pull no punches dissecting individual disasters, including Sergiño Dest's fatal ball-watching on Belgium's early goals and 38-year-old Tim Ream being targeted and posterized in aerial duels. They also analyze Christian Pulisic's rough night where he was dispossessed 11 times before exiting with a calf injury. This left Malik Tillman as the lone starting bright spot after scoring the USA's solitary goal.

Beyond the pitch, the crew debates the psychological toll of the Folarin Balogun red-card reinstatement saga and Donald Trump's external political meddling. Looking ahead to the future, they review Mauricio Pochettino's cryptic post-match comments regarding his uncertain future with the federation. They debate what structural changes—from youth academy coaching overrides to a high-pressure promotion and relegation culture—are desperately needed to bridge the gap between American athleticism and elite international football intelligence.

Timestamps:

(0:18) – USMNT out of the World Cup: how did the USA capitulate 4-1 to Belgium?

(3:07) – Taylor Twellman joins the post-mortem: are we any better than we were 12 years ago?

(6:29) – Christian Pulisic's nightmare night: breaking down the captain's high turnovers and injury exit.

(8:28) – The Trump distraction factor: did off-pitch political drama sabotage the players' psychology?

(13:22) – Mauricio Pochettino's tactical shifting: is he still the right man to lead the 2030 cycle?

(16:16) – Fixing American youth development: how do we bridge the critical 17-to-21 gap?

(39:31) – Stock Up, Stock Down: rating structural failures like Dest and Freeze against Tillman’s bright spot.

(55:37) – Pochettino’s cryptic post-match statement: has the manager already coached his last match?

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Here's what you need to know for Day 27 of the World Cup.

Argentina vs. Egypt

Tuesday, July 7 | 12 p.m. ET | Atlanta | TV: Fox

Odds: Argentina -435, Egypt +700

Argentina and Lionel Messi continue their quest to become the first country to successfully defend a World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. However, La Albiceleste got a scare against Cape Verde in its Round of 32 matchup before prevailing in extra time, 3-2.

The Belgians trolled U.S. Soccer, FIFA and U.S. President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the overturned red-card kerfuffle that led up to the game.

After the final whistle blew, Belgium soccer's official X account published a post with an image of their players celebrating alongside a two-word caption: "Overturn this."

For anyone who'd paid a modicum of attention to the World Cup leading up to Monday's game, the message was clear. The post was a shot at FIFA's controversial decision supposedly under pressure from Trump to overturn a red card that allowed USA's Folarin Balogun to play in Monday's game.

Balogun's controversial overturned red card

Balogun, the USMNT's leading scorer, had been issued the red card in USA's Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday. Per FIFA's rules, a red card meant that Balogun would be suspended for Monday's game.

Many observers believed that the red card was unjust. Balogun made an attempt at a ball against Bosnia and Herzegovina and stepped on the ankle of an opponent in the process. He wasn't called for a foul on the field. And he didn't demonstrate any intent to injure. The contact was the product of two opponents fighting for the ball.

But officials went to Video Assisted Review (VAR) and upgraded the non-call to a disqualifying red card. Balogun was ejected from the game and should have been suspended for Monday's, per FIFA rules.

Except he wasn't. FIFA made the stunning revelation on Sunday that Balogun's red card had been rescinded and he would be allowed to play.

It was a decision that went against years of FIFA precedent. And it arrived a day before the game that Belgium had prepared for in anticipation of Balogun not playing. Belgium filed an appeal of the decision to no avail.

Belgium does Trump dance after piling on vs. USA

On Monday, Trump acknowledged what had previously been reported: He had called FIFA to discuss the red card and ask for a review, believing that the decision was unfair. FIFA president Gianni Infantino also confirmed that Trump called, but claimed that the decision was made without Trump's influence.

Belgium, apparently, wasn't buying that explanation. When it piled on with its fourth goal of the game, players did a dance that looked unmistakably like one that Trump frequently does at his rallies.

That dance in the 90th minute kicked off a Belgian celebration that will go on until it switches gears to face Spain in the quarterfinals on Friday.

While Balogun was allowed to play on Monday, it was Belgium that ended up with the last laugh.

Star midfielder Christian Pulisic, who had gone down near the Belgium box shortly before, exited Monday's game in the 59th minute. He was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter.

Shortly after subbing off, Pulisic was seen getting treatment on the U.S. bench, visibly upset. The trainers appeared to be working on his lower right leg.

Pulisic had gone down seven minutes earlier after some light contact with Belgium captain Youri Tielemans, though no foul was called. Pulisic then stayed down for quite a while; center referee Adham Makhadmeh let play go on for a moment before heading over to check on the American.

Replay appeared to show Pulisic kick into Tielemans' leg awkwardly.

Though he was able to get up and keep playing, he was visibly limping for the six or so minutes before he got taken off.

The U.S. went on to lose the game 4-1, with Romelu Lukaku finding a stoppage-time goal to put the cherry on top of a disastrous loss.

Pulisic, with his cleat back on his right foot, joined the team for the final post-game moments.

After a rough first half against Belgium on Monday night, USA remained a goal away from equalizing in the second while trailing, 2-1.

But a disastrous sequence shortly out of the break allowed Belgium to double its lead to 3-1 en route to a dominant 4-1 win in Seattle that ended USA's World Cup run.

Second-half sequence dooms USA

In the 57th minute, Belgium booted a deep ball from its own territory toward the U.S. goal. Three U.S. players gave chase alongside Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere with a chance to take control of the ball.

But U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese stepped several feet beyond the box in an effort to corral it himself. Except he didn't.

De Ketelaere kicked the ball loose from Freese after Freese planted his left toe in the dirt in an apparent missed effort to kick the ball. Belgium's Hans Vanaken then took control with only U.S. defender Tim Ream standing anywhere near the goal.

Ream couldn't block the ball, and it rolled in slowly for a Belgium goal that sucked the life out of Seattle's Lumen Field crowd.

Replay showed Ream had a chance to block the ball, but lifted his left leg while off balance just as it cleared below his foot.

It added up to a disaster for USA in terms of decision-making and execution as Belgium scored with Freese nowhere close to his place in goal.

Freese discussed the play with Yahoo Sports’ Steven Goff after the game.

“Obviously disappointed for my involvement in an error in judgment on the third goal, Freese said. “It's part of the position.

“I know the guys in front of me did everything they could to get the win, and so proud of them, and wish that obviously that moment was different and wish the result was different.”

Freese also addressed the moment when he ceded control of the ball to De Ketelaere.

“I felt him so close I thought he was going to kick my leg, and so I tried to get out of it,” Freese continued.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia told reporters in his postgame news conference that his team’s pressure pushed Freese into his mistake.

“We put them in some difficulties, like the third goal,” Garcia said. “The goalkeeper made a mistake, because we pushed him to. We wanted to play forward and change the game."

Rough day for Ream, USA

The play also continued what had already been a rough day for Ream, who was on the wrong end of Belgium's previous two goals.

Belgium stunned USA early and was in control of the game from the opening minutes. It converted that control into a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute as USA's defense collapsed near the box.

Nicolas Raskin delivered a cross from the left side that De Ketelaere converted to the back of the net with little resistance. Ream stood nearly frozen as Raskin's pass rolled in front of him to De Ketelaere's right foot.

Then in the 33rd minute, De Ketelaere scored again. This time, Leandro Trossard delivered a cross from the left baseline that De Ketelaere headed in past Freese.

Replay shows that Ream had position to put his head on the ball first. But De Ketelaere outmuscled him from behind to get his head on the ball over the top of Ream's.

Belgium went on to add an insurance goal late, capping a dominant performance and a disappointing effort from USA with a trip to the quarterfinals at stake.

With the win, Belgium advances to take on Spain in a quarterfinal matchup on Friday. USA, meanwhile, sees its dream World Cup on home soil come to a difficult end.

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The Iberian Derby did not disappoint as Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros bring you an immediate live reaction to Spain's dramatic 1-0 victory over Portugal in the World Cup Round of 16. La Roja's impenetrable defense locked down yet another opponent, extending their incredible clean-sheet streak and booking a spot in the quarterfinals. The hosts heavily criticize Portugal manager Roberto Martinez for his lack of tactical bravery, particularly his decision to relegate a dangerous Rafael Leão to the bench while forcing an immobile 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo into the full 90 minutes. On the flip side, they heap praise on Spain's Mikel Merino, who showcased the ultimate clutch gene by scoring the game-winner just five minutes after subbing into the match.

The conversation then evolves into a deeper debate about legacy as the guys reflect on the end of Cristiano Ronaldo's storied World Cup run. They compare his unceremonious exit to Neymar's recent emotional departure with Brazil, examining how neutrals view the final chapters of these aging icons. In their signature "Stock Up, Stock Down" segment, Christian and Alexis breakdown why Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres are riding high for Spain , while the entire Portuguese midfield—specifically Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha—sees their stock plummet after failing to find any offensive cohesion on the pitch.

To close out the show, the guys look ahead to the USMNT's monumental knockout match against Belgium. Alexis details how a U.S. victory without starting Folarin Balogun would send a massive statement of respect to the global footballing community , and explains why he prefers to see Ricardo Pepi lead the line from the start. Finally, the show wraps up with a look at some wild fan comments and immediate reaction to breaking news that FIFA has officially fined Balogun $40,000 for his controversial red card incident.

Timestamps:

(0:24) – Spain eliminates Portugal: immediate live reaction to La Roja's tight 1-0 victory.

(0:36) – The Rafael Leão blunder: questioning Roberto Martinez's baffling decision to bench his most dynamic winger.

(5:40) – Mikel Merino's clutch gene: breaking down the game-winning goal scored just five minutes after coming off the bench.

(11:27) – CR7 vs. Neymar legacies: comparing the emotional and physical downfalls of two modern international titans.

(23:35) – Stock Up, Stock Down: sorting out the individual winners and losers from a tense tactical chess match.

(26:57) – Roberto Martinez's weak spine: calling out the Portuguese manager for refusing to make tough choices with Cristiano Ronaldo.

(33:04) – USMNT vs. Belgium preview: strategic breakdowns of how the U.S. can exploit Belgium's notoriously slow starts.

(42:20) – Breaking News: reacting to FIFA's sudden $40,000 fine levied against Folarin Balogun.

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The statement confirmed that the one-match suspension for Balogun's red card, which the striker picked up the card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, has been delayed by one year. Per FIFA, the team was informed of both the fine and the suspension on Sunday.

The disciplinary committee said that Balogun had been investigated by FIFA for two offenses: The red card, and then for re-entering the field to celebrate with his U.S. teammates, "despite his expulsion." The committee then found him "guilty of both infringements."

It is unclear whether the fine is related to the first offense or the second. Per FIFA, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) "was declared jointly liable" for paying the fine, meaning that Balogun will likely not pay the full fine himself.

After Balogun's foul, which took place in the second half of the USMNT's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, FIFA initially told the U.S. that it could not appeal the decision. But on Sunday, Balogun's one-match suspension was delayed. President Donald Trump, who said that he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino, later took credit for the suspension getting overturned.

Belgium, who said it was "astonished" by the decision, had an appeal officially denied on Monday morning. Mauricio Pochettino said Sunday that the U.S. had been "punished enough."

In FIFA's statement, it confirmed that Balogun normally would have served the one-match suspension during Monday's game, but that the disciplinary committee had applied "Article 27," which provides FIFA broad discretion to alter disciplinary measures.

The suspended sentence means that Balogun will have a one-year probationary period. If he commits a similar "infringement" — i.e., another red card or similar violation — during that span, the one-game ban will be added to whatever punishment he's given for the new infringement.

The statement marks yet another flip-flop for FIFA, which has tried to appease multiple parties in the fallout from Balogun's red card. And throughout the statement, the disciplinary committee appeared to be a bit defensive about the ruling: After clarifying that the committee is independent from FIFA, the statement also said that the committee "did not reverse the referee's on-field sending-off" but instead "upheld the one-game suspension."

The probationary period, per the committee, "was decided considering all of the specific circumstances surrounding the incident and evidence available."

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has the discretion to suspend the implementation of any disciplinary measures so long as they do not relate to match manipulation — which, of course, did not occur here," the statement read.

The committee also made a point of saying that the use of Article 27 "is not unprecedented," pointing to "similar decisions" during 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

"Reviewing the legal consequences of red cards in football is nothing new in the modern game," the statement read. "And again, it should be emphasized that in the decision under scrutiny, the red card was not overturned. Suspending the effects of a red card based on an explicit provision of the applicable regulations is a much more balanced measure."

As a result of the ruling, Balogun will be available to play for the U.S. against Belgium on Monday and is in the starting lineup for the team.

But Spain's Mikel Merino took a pass from Ferran Torres and slipped it past Portugal goaltender Diogo Costa and inside the left post for a stoppage-time goal in the 91st minute.

The goal broke a scoreless tie in Arlington, Texas, and ultimately secured a 1-0 win for Spain, which advances to the quarterfinals and ends Portugal's run in what was the final World Cup game for 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal had multiple chances to equalize, but a Rafael Leão header from the box finished above the crossbar, and a free kick in the final seconds of the game resulted in a header that landed wide left of the goal.

With the win, Spain advances to take on the winner of Monday night's USA-Belgium game in the quarterfinals.

Spanish defense continues to stifle

The win continued a dominant defensive run for Spain, which has yet to yield a goal in five games in this World Cup. Since opening the tournament with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde in group play, Spain has reeled off a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, a 1-0 win over Uruguay and a 3-0 win over Austria in the Round of 32 before Monday's shutout win.

On Monday, Spain controlled 56% of the possession time and limited Portugal to just two shots on goal. Goalkeeper Unai Simón was excellent when he saw action, including on a first-half save of a Ronaldo shot off a rebound on perhaps what was Portugal's best scoring chance.

Minutes later, Portugal's Nuno Mendes hit a shot off the crossbar off a corner kick that came excruciatingly close for Portugal to giving it a 1-0 lead.

But chances for Portugal from there were few and far between as Spain's defense stifled Portugal's looks at the net.

Portugal goaltender Diogo Costawas brilliant for much of the game as he sent back repeated shots on goal and recorded five saves as Spain's offense struggled to capitalize on its looks.

But Merino's late look was one too many for Costa to turn away, and Portugal's World Cup ends in defeat at the hands of rival Spain.

Heartbreak for Ronaldo

After the game, Ronaldo was visibly emotional as the gravity of the moment became clear.

After six World Cups, one of the greatest players of his generation and all time won't play in another. Ronaldo will be 45 years old for the next World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco.

Meanwhile, Portugal's quest to advance beyond it best-ever finish in the quarterfinals at the World Cup in 2022 will have to wait.

Spain enters the quarterfinals among the favorites to win what would be its second-ever World Cup championship. It won the World Cup in 2010 in its first-ever trip to the title game.

Portugal lost 1-0 in the Round of 16 to Spain on Monday in what was Ronaldo's sixth World Cup. The game was scoreless into second-half added time before substitute Mikel Merino cut through the Portugal defense and slotted home the winner.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo said before the game that this would be his final World Cup, but he's refused to put a date on his retirement. Ronaldo became the second man alongside Lionel Messi to appear in six World Cups earlier in the tournament, and his first of two goals against Uzbekistan in the group stage made him the first player to score a goal in six World Cups.

Ronaldo is one of the greatest strikers in modern soccer history and has scored a record 976 goals across 1,326 games played for club and country. However, Portugal has fallen well short in each of his six World Cups.

Monday's loss was the fourth time that Portugal has failed to make it past the Round of 16 with Ronaldo. Portugal finished fourth in 2006 in Ronaldo's first World Cup appearance. Since then, a quarterfinal appearance at the 2022 World Cup has been the team's best run.

Ronaldo has struggled in the knockout rounds too. His penalty kick in the team's 2-1 win over Croatia in the Round of 32 was his first knockout-round goal or assist ever.

It's time for Portugal to move on

Ronaldo's only goals in open play during the World Cup came against Uzbekistan. He was otherwise largely ineffective while on the field, and his best chances against other opponents came after he was offside.

Yes, Ronaldo is a Portuguese legend. But this is a team that has appeared significantly impacted by his age and decreased effectiveness. His lack of pressing is evident and it felt like he was just a step or two slow for most of the tournament. It was a very small sample size, but it was hard not to notice how dangerous Portugal looked after Ronaldo came off the field late against Croatia.

Now, with Ronaldo assuredly set to retire at some point in the near future, Portugal can remodel its whole philosophy with a squad that is one of the best in the world. Will we know with absolute certainty that Ronaldo was holding Portugal back over the last half-decade? No. But do not be surprised in the slightest if Portugal makes a deep run at the Euro 2028 and/or 2030 World Cup tournaments without him in the lineup.

Mbappé scored the match's lone goal on a penalty kick in the 70th minute, advancing France to the Round of 16 for the fourth consecutive World Cup. Individually, Mbappé recorded his seventh goal of the tournament, putting him ahead of Argentina's Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race thanks to his two assists.

On Monday, Paraguayan senator Céleste Amarilla wrote a post on X using highly racist language and imagery to belittle Mbappé's education and upbringing. She called him "a brute" and accused him of "pretending to be French."

Amarilla, who has held office since 2023, also said that Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill "should've given him the middle finger."

Mbappé wrote his own social media post on Monday to respond:

"Madame Celeste Amarilla,

"You are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position.

"You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honor throughout the competition. Through your recklessness and your brazen racism, the entire world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished during this World Cup, making way for an incompetent woman who gives the worst possible image of her country.

"I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world."

Additionally, the French Football Federation issued a statement condemning Amarilla's remarks, calling them "criminal and reprehensible" insults that warrant prosecution.

"The racist remarks by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla targeting Kylian Mbappé are utterly abhorrent and unacceptable. How can anyone make such statements? These remarks are criminal and reprehensible. They must be prosecuted here as elsewhere. The FFF is filing a report with the prosecutor's office for the purpose of judicial action.

"The Federation extends its full support to its captain, its players, and more generally to all victims of such odious remarks. Now more than ever, the FFF is committed to fighting racism and all forms of discrimination. These remarks dishonor those who make them and those who spread them. The players of the France National Team represent France; it is our country that is being insulted."

Neither the Paraguayan Football Association nor FIFA has yet issued official statements in regards to Amarilla's comments.

France will next face Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals on Thursday. Their match is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

As FIFA debated moving up the kickoff time of England's Round of 16 win against Mexico, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushed to make sure the game in Mexico City stayed at its original kickoff time of 8 p.m. ET.

With thunderstorms in the forecast and FIFA reportedly looking at fan safety measures in the wake of multiple deaths in the celebrations after Mexico's Round of 32 win over Ecuador, reports emerged Friday that the game was in deep discussions to be moved up six hours to Noon local time.

Some reports even suggested that the time change was a done deal. It wasn't. And Starmer apparently played a key role.

From the Guardian:

Asked about Britain stepping in at a reception in Downing Street on Monday, Starmer told attendees: "We had to battle with the FA to get it back to where it was, which was counterintuitive."

Both the English and Mexican teams had publicly pushed back against the potential time change. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre talked about how it would disrupt his team's preparations.

The game ended up being delayed an hour by rain and began at 7 p.m. in Mexico City. England held on for much of the second half in the 3-2 win with just 10 men on the field after Jarell Quansah's straight red card.

Quansah is set to miss England's quarterfinal game against Norway because of that card, but there's already at least one member of parliament pushing for Quansah to receive the same treatment that the United States' Folarin Balogun received after Trump's push for FIFA to suspend Balogun's one-match ban.

Days after Trump first reached out to the FIFA president and said he suggested that Balogun not receive a mandatory one-match ban, FIFA announced Sunday that Balogun would be able to play against Belgium on Monday night and that his one-game ban had been suspended.

The decision was so shocking that Belgium's football association said it was "astonished" and Balogun's own USMNT teammates wondered if the announcement was even real at first.

It's very real. And it's setting a dangerous precedent for FIFA.

England's Jarell Quansah was sent off for a straight red card Sunday night for a tackle on Jesús Gallardo in the Three Lions' 3-2 win. Like Balogun's red card, Quansah wasn't called for a foul on the field, but the video replay officials called referee Alireza Faghani to the pitch side monitors. After a quick look at the replays, Faghani gave Quansah a red card.

Monday, Labour MP Noah Law wrote a public letter to Infantino asking for Quansah's one-match ban to be reviewed and directly cited the Balogun situation.

"Whilst I believe that it was right for Jarell Quansah to have received this red card and that refereeing rules must be applied consistently, I believe it would be right to delay his suspension until after the completion of the World Cup," the letter said.

"We know that a similar situation arose earlier in the competition when United States forward Folarin Balogun received a red card during the Round of 32."

After England striker Harry Kane was praised by Trump on social media, England manager Thomas Tuchel was asked — perhaps half-jokingly — if Trump could get involved in getting Quansah's ban removed.

"Where does it start and where does it end now? Can we overturn it or not overturn it or what?" Tuchel said.

France, meanwhile, is reportedly appealing a yellow card that was given to Michael Olise during the team's win over Paraguay on Saturday. Olise received the yellow after Paraguay's Matias Galarza successfully feigned that Olise had hit him.

Olise is still eligible to play against Morocco in the quarterfinals since he received just one card during that match. But if he was given a yellow card in that Morocco game, he'd be ineligible to play in the semifinals if France advanced.

In announcing the decision to hand Balogun a suspended one-match ban, FIFA cited article 27 of its sporting code. Immediately after the match, there was scrutiny over the replays that were shown to referee Raphael Claus. According to FIFA's VAR rules, normal speed replays "should" be used in a situation like that of Balogun. Claus was shown slow-motion replays.

The backlash to the suspension of Balogun's ban and the role that Trump played in it has been so severe, however, that FIFA was forced to issue a statement on Monday morning saying that Trump didn't have anything to do with it.

"Yes, 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, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues," Infantino's statement said. "During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA's system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold."

That statement came on the same morning that Trump himself confirmed he had talked to Infantino. And while Infantino may already have a phone that's constantly getting texts and calls from political leaders, it's safe to assume that those who have his number are now going to be further emboldened to attempt to put their fingers on FIFA's disciplinary scale.

As always, remember that wagers are for regulation time only unless otherwise noted. In other words, extra time and penalty shootouts don't count toward most bets. Having said that, some books do offer bets that explicitly include extra time (or overtime), so beware of what you're betting.

If you want to pick a team to reach the next round, that bet is typically called "to advance" or "to qualify." It covers all methods of getting through, whether in regulation, extra time or penalties.

Keeping that in mind, here are my thoughts on the rest of the Round-of-16 matchups.

Monday, July 6

Spain vs. Portugal

Belgium was granted an appeal by FIFA over the decision, which was ruled on just hours before the USMNT and Belgium were set to square off in the Round of 16 on Monday.

With the appeal granted, both U.S. Soccer and the Belgian federations were asked to send in submissions to FIFA by 5 a.m. PT.

FIFA ultimately denied the appeal, opening the door for Balogun to play Monday.

That entire scenario, however, was unexpected by the Belgian football federation. In a statement Monday, it explained that it initially sought to have FIFA explain why Balogun's suspension was overturned.

FIFA did not provide its reasoning for that decision, and stated the inquiry would be treated as an appeal by the Belgium federation. With an appeal already initiated the Belgium federation said it "has no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match."

After the ruling came in, the Belgium football federation said it had yet to receive an official explanation of why Balogun was allowed to play. It threatened further action should Balogun be available for Monday’s game.

FIFA's decision to overturn a one-game ban for USMNT star Folarin Balogun has caused quite the firestorm.

Balogun, who was initially given a red card during the team's 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, was expected to miss the team's game against Belgium on Monday due to a mandatory one-game suspension. But a day before that Round of 16 match, FIFA decided to overturn that suspension, making Balogun available for the contest.

That led to unrest from the Belgium football federation, which inquired into the decision, leading to an appeal. With hours to go before the match, it was deemed Balogun would be eligible to play.

Given the chaotic nature of Balogun's availability, here's a full timeline of his situation:

Wednesday, July 1

Folarin Balogun given red card in game vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

In the 68th minute vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun was given a red card after stepping on an opponent's leg while fighting for position.

The play was reviewed, which resulted in Balogun receiving the red card. As a result, Balogun was required to miss the rest of the contest and the USMNT's next match if the team advanced.

USMNT defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina without Folarin Balogun

Despite playing the rest of the game down a man, the USMNT managed to pick up a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the contest, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said Balogun's contact was incidental and should not have resulted in a red card.

Early reports indicate USMNT cannot appeal Folarin Balogun's suspension

FIFA officials tell The Athletic that Balogun's red card and suspension cannot be appealed. They cited the organization's rule book, which states a red card results in an automatic suspension for the next game. That particular clause does not mention a possibility of an appeal.

President Donald Trump contacted about Folarin Balogun's red card

That evening, Andrew Giuliani, who is part of the presidential task force at the 2026 World Cup, reportedly contacted U.S. President Donald Trump about Balogun's red card, per Politico.

Giuliani, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Soccer officials then reportedly started coming up with a plan to challenge Balogun's red card and one-game suspension.

Thursday, July 2

President Donald Trump calls FIFA president Gianni Infantino over Folarin Balogun ban

Trump reportedly called Infantino on Thursday to discuss the red card and Balogun's suspension, per Politico.

At the same time, U.S. Soccer's legal team reportedly prepared and submitted an appeal to FIFA.

USMNT shatters viewership records with win over Bosnia and Herzegovina

U.S. soccer fans turned out in droves to watch the team's 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The contest was watched by over 24 million viewers, shattering previous viewership records.

Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena agrees with Folarin Balogun's red card

While many in the United States disagreed with Balogun's red card and suspension, one prominent soccer voice believed officials got it right. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said he agreed with the call. Arena said he didn't think there was intent on Balogun's part, but that it was a dangerous play and should have been penalized.

Friday, July 3

Folarin Balogun speaks for first time since red-card incident

In his first public comments since his red card, Folarin Balogun said he believed a yellow card "would have been fair." Balogun, however, mostly took the high road, saying he had to "accept" being handed a red card and missing the team's next game.

USMNT appears at Mariners game

Pochettino delivered a solid first pitch as he and the rest of the USMNT appeared at a Seattle Mariners game ahead of Monday's contest vs. Belgium. The entire team stood behind Pochettino as he delivered the pitch.

The USMNT also signed Cal Raleigh's catcher's gear, which he wore during Saturday's game.

Sunday, July 5

FIFA rescinds Folarin Balogun's one-game ban, making him available to play vs. Belgium

Days after that phone call — and reported appeal — FIFA decided to rescind Balogun's one-game ban in favor of a year-long probationary period. The organization cited Article 27 of its code of discipline, which states that FIFA is allowed to "fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure."

USMNT reacts with disbelief to news that Folarin Balogun's suspension was reversed

Even the USMNT were surprised to see Balogun's suspension lifted. Defender Chris Richards said he thought the news "was AI at first." He later explained, "We weren't sure if it was true or not."

Odds shift further in USMNT's favor following news Folarin Balogun can play

Following the USMNT's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, the U.S. opened as slight favorites against Belgium. Odds shifted even more in favor of the USMNT following the news that Balogun would be available.

President Trump thanks FIFA for overturning Folarin Balogun's ban

In a social-media post, Trump thanked FIFA for "doing what was right." That post was shared by the official White House X account.

USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino defends FIFA's decision

USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino was unsurprisingly one of the few who spoke out in support of FIFA's decision to rescind Bolagun's one-game ban. Pochettino said he felt his team was "punished enough" by playing 30 minutes against Bosnia and Herzegovina without Balogun.

"We're not the bad guys," he said.

Belgium says it's 'astonished' by decision and investigating all options

In a lengthy statement, the Belgium football federation said it was "astonished" by FIFA's decision and was investigating its options. The federation cited other articles in FIFA's code of conduct, which state a red card is followed by a one-game suspension.

Monday, July 6

Belgium granted appeal by FIFA

After investigating its options, the Belgium football federation decided to ask FIFA to explain why it overturned Balogun's suspension. FIFA did not answer, but said the inquiry prompted an appeal. The organization granted that appeal, telling the Belgium federation and U.S. Soccer to send in submissions by 5 a.m. PT, on the day the Round of 16 match is set to take place.

Once those submissions are in, a member of the FIFA appeals committee will hear the case. The member of the FIFA appeals committee selected to hear the case will not be someone associated with FIFA, UEFA or CONCACAF.

FIFA did not guarantee a ruling would be made prior to Monday's game, per The Athletic.

UEFA condemns FIFA's decision to overturn Folarin Balogun's ban

In a statement, UEFA ripped into FIFA for its decision to overturn Balogun's suspension. The organization said it could not believe "such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

A portion of UEFA's statement read:

"Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not. A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.

"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined."

President Donald Trump says he spoke with Infantino

Trump met with reporters Monday, where he confirmed he spoke with Infantino about Balogun's suspension and called FIFA's move "the right decision."

Gianni Infantino says decision made by independent committee

In a statement Monday, Infantino confirmed he spoke to Trump, but stressed FIFA's decision was made by an independent committee.

"FIFA's judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected."

Infantino said he would respect that decision.

Belgium football federation issues correction to Folarin Balogun timeline

In an effort to clarify the situation, the Belgium football federation issued a statement claiming it never formally asked for an appeal. The federation said it merely asked FIFA to explain why Balogun was reinstated.

FIFA did not provide its reasoning, per the federation, but said the inquiry resulted in an appeal being opened. While the Belgium federation claimed it did not ask for an appeal, it said it "has no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match."

It did not seem confident in that appeal working, however, as its statement noted: "While the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible."

FIFA denies appeal, allowing Folarin Balogun to play Monday

FIFA quickly announced the appeal was denied, opening the door for Balogun to play against Belgium on Monday.

"The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the RBFA [Royal Belgian Football Association] is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision," FIFA said in a statement.

Belgium objects to FIFA decision allowing Folarin Balogun to play

The Belgium football federation took issue with FIFA's ruling Monday, explaining it still doesn't know why Balogun was deemed eligible in the first place. It threatened further action should Balogun be made available Monday, per The Athletic.

"To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure for a copy of the decision and the motivation declaring the player eligible as well as the referee's report. Which is a breach of FIFA regulations.

The RBFA has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it contests the eligibility of the player, should the player be listed on the referee's team sheet. This leaves all further actions open."

USMNT to take on Belgium

With the appeal still in limbo, the USMNT and Belgium are set to play at 8 p.m. ET in Seattle. As of Monday's decision, Balogun is eligible and expected to be available for that contest.

In a shocking move on Sunday, the U.S. men's national team got word that striker Folarin Balogun would be available for Monday's Round of 16 game against Belgium after his red card was overturned.

It was reported that President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked for the World Cup governing body to review Balogun's ban. On Monday, Trump confirmed as much, taking credit for the reversal of the call: "All I did, I asked for a review, cause I didn't think it was a foul," he said.

The president reiterated several times that he had merely suggested what should be done and hadn't told the committee what should happen.

"I didn't tell them what to do, I can't tell them what to do. … I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision."

President Trump provided examples of what he thought would be similar instances, saying what would have happened if it had been Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Harry Kane who had "bumped into someone" and not been allowed to play.

He added that it would have "stained this incredible championship" and that the teams deserve to have the best players possible. President Trump ended the response by calling into question the referee's past, saying, "wasn't so great," but he didn't elaborate on what he meant.

The president did talk about the decision to suspend the red card and what it means for Belgium's approach to the game.

"The people in Belgium — if they win the game, they can be very proud. If they would have won the game with the player missing, it would have been a different feeling. You can't do that, and I'm very glad. All I did was ask for a review. I didn't say, "You have to do this."

Infantino also confirmed Monday that Trump had called him about the red card, but said he did not influence the decision because FIFA's "FIFA's judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously."

"Yes, 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, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues," Infantino said in a statement. "During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA's system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.

"I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.

"What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times."

FIFA also denied Belgium's appeal on Monday.

Balogun was expected to be suspended for the match after receiving a red card in the United States' win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The striker was trying to make a play for the ball against defender Tarik Muharemović, but was called for a foul that was reviewed.

Upon review, which when slowed down showed Balogun clearly stepping on the defender's ankle, he was shown a red card and sent off early in the second half of the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The red card came with an automatic one-game suspension, per Article 10.5 of FIFA's World Cup rules. The Athletic also reported that after the match, multiple FIFA officials said teams were unable to appeal red cards or the resulting suspensions.

FIFA released a statement about the ruling. "By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year."

United States men's national team striker Folarin Balogun will officially be available for the team's World Cup game Monday night against Belgium in Seattle.

Belgium had appealed FIFA's decision to void Balogun's one-game suspension from the red card he received in the Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA has now dismissed the appeal, paving the way for the striker to play.

FIFA issued a statement obtained by The Athletic. It said in part, "the RBFA (Royal Belgian Football Association) is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision."

Balogun was expected to be suspended for the match after receiving a red card in the United States' win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The striker was trying to make a play for the ball against defender Tarik Muharemović.

Upon review, which when slowed down showed Balogun clearly stepping on the defender's ankle, he was shown a red card and sent off early in the second half of the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The red card came with an automatic one-game suspension, per Article 10.5 of FIFA's World Cup rules.

Just a few days later, Balogun's suspension was suspended. Article 27 of FIFA's code of discipline was cited as the basis for the decision.

"The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.

If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

FIFA released a statement about the ruling. "By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year."

The Balogun decision appears to be only the second known instance of FIFA lifting a World Cup red-card suspension, and the first since Brazil's Garrincha was cleared to play in the 1962 final after being sent off in the semifinal.

Here's a hot take: The U.S. men's national team should play Monday night's game against Belgium without Folarin Balogun even though he's allowed to suit up.

Look, the U.S. didn't ask to be in this situation. This team didn't ask FIFA to make a questionable call to send Balogun off, didn't ask for him to be suspended for a game. But, apparently, we did ask for FIFA to review the call and right the wrong if there was one. And on Sunday, FIFA acknowledged that there was a wrong and righted it — ruling that Balogun can play. Then followed that up on Monday, ruling against a Belgian appeal.

And yet, this just doesn't feel right.

Do I want Balogun to play?

100 percent.

(I'd also want Belgium's best striker to play under the same circumstances because I wouldn't want the U.S. to have an advantage on a bad call.)

But do I want the U.S. to win with a cloud over its head, even if said cloud is a screwup of FIFA's own making?

No way.

Jamie Squire via Getty Images

This tournament has been such a feel-good moment for the United States, finally stepping up to the world in the game the world cares about the most. We've seen Christian Pulisic deliver on the promise foisted on him a decade ago, setting up his mates like a chess master. We've come to know Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Alex Freeman and Chris Richards. And we've watched Balogun become a household name, ripping goals and handling this red card situation like a champ.

"It's something that's happened, so we have to move forward, and I have to accept it," Balogun said last week.

That's America right there.

It's still to be determined if this USMNT squad has fully answered the decades-long questions about why the U.S. hasn't been able to hang with the best of the best, let alone countries smaller than Massachusetts. But … for the first time in a long time, it seems we've at least earned the respect of "soccer nations" and their visiting fans who are here having the time of their lives.

But if Balogun plays against Belgium, we know how this is going to shake out: Win or lose, the rest of the world will scream that the U.S. got special treatment. That FIFA caved to the might of the American machine. That the U.S. waged a political war off the field because without it, we couldn't win on the field.

This team — this run the Americans are on — doesn't deserve that. And if this group is as good as we think it is, it can overcome playing without its best striker.

So while we can argue that the Balogun red card was a B.S. call — there's a solid case to be made that it wasn't a foul on Balogun at all — and that overturning the one-game suspension was the right thing to do, outside of Lubbock, Texas, winning in the courts isn't our style.

On Monday night, put our next-best 11 up against Belgium's best 11 and tell the Belgians to bring it on. Because that's what we do here in America. We take our lumps, fair or not, and push on.

It was a costly English victory for one bettor.

A bettor at Station Casinos in Nevada wagered $1 million on Mexico to advance before the match, split across two wagers:

• $750,000 on Mexico at -105 odds

• $250,000 on Mexico at -120 odds

Mexico went down 2-0 in the first half on two England goals from Jude Bellingham in the 36th and 38th minute, but got one back on a beautiful goal from a Julian Quinones volley in the 42nd minute. The game was 2-1 England at halftime.

Harry Kane scored on a penalty in the 60th minute to make it 3-1, but Mexico added its own penalty kick goal from Raúl Jiméneza few minutes later to finish the scoring.

England was able to successfully defend with 10 men the rest of the match to close out the game and make it a costly evening for that bettor.

The incident happened during England's singing of Oasis' "Wonderwall" with the Three Lions supporters. Henderson attempted to hop the wall behind the goal, but clipped his foot on the way down and fell on his face, attempting to brace himself with his left arm.

His fall can be seen in the final seconds of this video:

Defender Dan Burn quickly alerted medical staff to the injury, as Henderson was grabbing at his left wrist. Henderson was then stretchered off the field.

While his exact injury is unknown, Henderson is expected to miss the rest of the World Cup due to the issue, per The Athletic.

Henderson did not play Sunday. He received a yellow card in stoppage time after arguing with the referee and interfering with an England throw-in from the sideline.

England captain Harry Kane was asked about Henderson in a post-match interview on the broadcast.

"Hendo just fell over there, I think he's OK, just something to do with his arm," Kane said.

Thomas Tuchel told reporters postgame that the injury was more serious than expected, saying that Henderson has been taken to the hospital.

"He just fell over and injured his wrist," Tuchel said, via multiple media outlets. "It looks really bad."

Henderson, 36, has made one appearance in this World Cup, playing seven minutes of England's group stage win over Panama.

Balogun had been suspended for the game against Belgium (8 p.m. ET, Fox) after his straight red card in the 64th minute of the USMNT's Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balogun was sent off after replay officials summoned referee Raphael Claus to the monitor after a play where Balogun stepped on the back of Tarik Muharemović's ankle as the two were jockeying for position.

Instead, that suspension was suspended for a year just a day before the game. According to The Athletic, FIFA has granted Belgium the ability to appeal the suspension of Balogun's red-card ban. A member of FIFA's appeals committee will hear the case, The Athletic reported.

Here's Belgium's statement about the situation in full:

"The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is astonished by FIFA's decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA–Belgium match on Monday, 6 July at 5:00 p.m. (Seattle time).

"FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.

"However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.

"Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5:

"'If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed.'

"The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026.

"The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations.

"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.

Before Belgium's statement, President Donald Trump thanked FIFA for its decision. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked for the World Cup governing body to review Balogun's ban.

As Belgium's statement notes, the red card rules are supposed to be straightforward. A player who receives a direct red is suspended for the next game. If that red card is for violent conduct — which Balogun's was not — that player receives a three-game suspension.

In its statement announcing that Balogun could play on Monday, FIFA cited Article 27 of its discipline code that says it can "decide to fully or partially suspend implementation of a disciplinary measure." Before the tournament began, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo received a three-match ban for a violent conduct red card in qualifying. That suspension from the card, which was issued after a video review, would have forced Ronaldo to miss time during the World Cup.

However, FIFA suspended the final two games of Ronaldo's ban and he's appeared in each of Portugal's games at the tournament so far.

Additionally, FIFA's video review rules may not have been followed when Balogun was issued the red card in the first place. According to its VAR rules, "normal speed" replays "should be used for the 'intensity' of an offense." Claus was shown slow-motion footage of Balogun's foul against Muharemović by the video officials before making his decision to issue a red card after initially not carding Balogun at all.

United States men's national team striker Folarin Balogun will be available for the team's match against Belgium on Monday night (5 p.m. ET, Fox).

Balogun was expected to be suspended for the match after receiving a red card in the United States' win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The striker was trying to make a play for the ball against defender Tarik Muharemović, but was called for a foul that was reviewed.

Upon review, which when slowed down showed Balogun clearly stepping on the defender's ankle, he was shown a red card and sent off early in the second half of the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The red card came automatically accompanied by a one-game suspension, per Article 10.5 of FIFA's World Cup rules. The Athletic also reported that after the match, multiple FIFA officials said teams were unable to appeal red cards or the resulting suspensions.

Just a few days later, Balogun's suspension was suspended. Article 27 of FIFA's code of discipline was cited as the reasoning.

"The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.

If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

FIFA released a statement about the ruling. "By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year."

Belgium officials blasted the decision, saying they were "astonished" by the reversal. According to The Athletic, FIFA has granted Belgium the ability to appeal the suspension of Balogun's red-card ban. A member of FIFA's appeals committee will hear the case, The Athletic reported.

"I didn't know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It's April Fools," Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said at a Sunday news conference.

The New York Times reported Sunday that President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked for the World Cup governing body to review Balogun's ban. Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday thanking FIFA for overturning the decision. "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, helped recruit lawyers and communicated with U.S. Soccer officials as they presented their case to FIFA to ask for Balogun's ban to be lifted. Trump reportedly also called Infantino midway through last week to ask for the red card to be reviewed.

UEFA — the Union of European Football Associations — also criticized the decision to suspend Balogun's one-game ban.

"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined," UEFA said in its statement.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

The decision appears to be only the second known instance of FIFA lifting a World Cup red-card suspension, and the first since Brazil's Garrincha was cleared to play in the 1962 final after being sent off in the semifinal.

U.S. Soccer also released a statement about FIFA's decision. "We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow. Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans."

The USSF was reportedly "engaged in the process with the disciplinary committee," and Balogun was informed of the decision during a team meeting before the team left for training on Sunday.

In a statement, The Royal Belgian Football Association called into question Article 66.4 of FIFA's Disciplinary Code.

"FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.

"However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.

"Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5:

"'If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed.'

"The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026.

"The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations.

"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo faced a similar situation before this World Cup. He received a red card in his team's qualifier against the Republic of Ireland and he was initially given a three-match ban for the incident. It was then shortened to the final Portugal qualifier and the same "one-year probationary period."

FIFA stunned the soccer world with its announcement Sunday that Balogun's one-match ban for his straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup Round of 32 had been suspended and he would be allowed to play in the Round of 16.

Sunday afternoon, severalreports emerged that Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked for the World Cup governing body to review Balogun's ban.

According to The Athletic, FIFA has granted Belgium the ability to appeal the suspension of Balogun's red-card ban. A member of FIFA's appeals committee will hear the case, The Athletic reported.

UEFA — the Union of European Football Associations — also criticized the decision to suspend Balogun's one-game ban.

"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined," UEFA said in its statement.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, helped recruit lawyers and communicated with U.S. Soccer officials as they presented their case to FIFA to ask for Balogun's ban to be lifted. Trump reportedly also called Infantino midway through last week to ask for the red card to be reviewed.

Trump and Infantino have a chummy relationship. The two have been especially friendly in public as the president is expected to play a role in the trophy ceremony at the World Cup final on July 19. In December, Infantino and FIFA awarded Trump the inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize" at the World Cup draw.

After FIFA announced Balogun could play, Trump posted to social media and thanked FIFA for reversing what he said was an "injustice," though he did not imply that he had a role in FIFA's decision.

In its statement announcing Balogun could play against Belgium, FIFA cited Article 27 in its sporting code. That article states that "the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure."

Balogun's red card has been suspended for a year.

Before the Balogun decision, the only other time FIFA had allowed a player who received a red card to play in the subsequent game came in 1962, when Brazil's Garrincha was allowed to play in the final after a red card in the semifinal.

Brazil went on to win its second straight World Cup that year. It is still the most recent team to win consecutive tournaments.

Belgium said it was "astonished" Balogun was allowed to play after getting the red card. Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute of the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina after he stepped on the back of defender Tarik Muharemović's leg.

"I didn't know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It's April Fools," Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said at a Sunday news conference.

Balogun was not called for a foul in real time, but video replay officials sent referee Raphael Claus to the replay monitor. While at the monitor, Claus saw Balogun's foul in slow motion. According to FIFA's VAR rules, replays to determine the intensity of offenses "should" be shown at "normal speed."

The 2026 World Cup continues on Monday as United States looks to advance out of the Round of 16.

Here's what you need to know for Day 26 of the World Cup.

Portugal vs. Spain

Monday, July 6 | 3 p.m. ET | Dallas | TV: Fox

Odds to advance: Portugal (+184), Spain (-230)

For the second straight summer, the Iberian Derby will have extra meaning to it. Last summer, Portugal and Spain met in the UEFA Nations League Finals, which saw Portugal win after penalty kicks. On Monday, they meet with a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals on the line.

It will mark the 42nd time the two nations have played against one another and only the third time in a World Cup. Spain cruised with a 3-0 win over Austria, while Portugal beat Croatia in a dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind victory in the Round of 32.

The winner of this one will see either the United States or Belgium on Friday in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles.

USA vs. Belgium

Monday, July 6 | 8 p.m. ET | Seattle | TV: Fox

But what if this actually is the England team with the best chance to win the World Cup since that team 60 years ago?

It's so easy to see how myriad iterations of past England teams would have blown a two-goal second-half lead at the Estadio Azteca. There were countless England fans wondering just how it was going to fall apart after Jarell Quansah's red card in the 54th minute or Raul Jiménez's penalty kick to cut the lead back to one in the 69th minute.

Instead, this England team stood firm. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford commanded his penalty area. Jude Bellingham continued to be the best player on the field. Ezri Konsa did an admirable job as a makeshift right back in the space vacated by Quansah.

Quansah became the fourth England player to receive a red card in the World Cup along with Ray Wilkins, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney. England didn't win any of those other three games and lost two of them on penalty kicks. In an Azteca where Mexico had lost just twice in competitive matches and never at the World Cup, it was easy to see how Quansah's card was going to go down in English infamy.

Instead, the defensive discipline instituted by coach Thomas Tuchel was obvious. The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea coach has been steadfast in preaching consistency in his short time with England. The Three Lions didn't break through in their group stage draw against Ghana, but the constant probing paid off handsomely with two second-half goals from Harry Kane in the Round of 32 against DR Congo.

Nick Potts - PA Images via Getty Images

Sunday night, that idea succeeded again. England went defensive with its gameplay and substitutions after the second-half hydration break and, save for a brief heart-stopping moment when John Stones cleared the ball out for a corner perilously close to the England goal, the 10 players on the field saw out the game as drama-free as they could.

"This is probably one of the biggest England wins in a while," Bellingham told Fox after the win. "Probably the biggest one I can remember as a fan or player. The best night of my England career probably. Just unbelievable. I can't put it into words right now. It's tough to gather together. The goals, the penalty against, the penalty for, the red card, it was a chaotic game."

In previous World Cups, chaos was England's downfall. Sunday night, it proved to be the team's strength.

How does Brazil revamp its squad before 2030?

Carlo Ancelotti could not mask the flaws of this Brazil team.

The longtime coach has been hailed — perhaps generously so — as a manager capable of winning major trophies with imbalanced and even flawed squads. After leaving Real Madrid in 2025, he took on the Brazil job.

At first glance, the job he took at Brazil was much like the one he had at Real Madrid. At Real, there's no shortage of attacking players. But midfield depth was an issue as Toni Kroos had retired and Luka Modrić became a part-time starter at the age of 38. As a result, Real Madrid was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and finished second in La Liga to Barcelona.

Sunday, Brazil couldn't even make the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Brazil was knocked out of the tournament before the quarterfinals for the first time since 1990 with a 2-1 loss to Norway. If you're a soccer casual, Norway beating Brazil feels like a massive upset.

It's really not.

With all apologies to Vinícius Júnior, one of the best strikers in the world, Norway's Erling Haaland was the best player on the field on Sunday. And Norway's midfield was better than Brazil's too. That may feel like a bizarre statement to read. But it's the truth. And it's why Brazil is out of the tournament.

Brazil entered the World Cup relying on 33-year-old Casemiro to anchor the midfield. Yes, he had a bounceback season at Manchester United, but he's not the single-pivot he once was ahead of a back line. That was obvious throughout the tournament, even as he scored the equalizer in the Round of 32 against Japan.

But there was no one on the roster to reliably pair with him in the midfield. Gabriel Martinelli, Lucas Paquetá and Bruno Guimarães are all attacking players. Their strengths left Casemiro's weaknesses exposed.

Figuring out how to solidify the center of the pitch is by far the biggest question facing Ancelotti or whomever ends up coaching Brazil next ahead of the 2028 Copa América and the 2030 World Cup. There aren't any obvious replacements ready — Brazil had to call up Ederson, the man set to replace Casemiro at Man United, because of a late injury. But he didn't see the field in the tournament.

Brazil is stacked up front and on the wings for tournaments to come. There's no shortage of talent in the country's pipeline at those positions. But its World Cup ceiling is limited until it can bolster the midfield. And, as we saw in 2026, the floor is lower too.

After being delayed by an hour due to inclement weather, the match got off to a pretty slow start — until things got very exciting, all at once. Jude Bellingham broke through in the 36th minute with a diving header; less than two minutes later, he scored again.

Mexico, though, responded well to England's sudden two-goal lead: Shortly before the end of the half, Julián Quiñones hit a great second-chance strike off a corner kick to keep El Tri in the game.

The madness continued in the second half. In the 54th minute, England defender Jarell Quansah was given a straight red card after VAR reviewed a studs-up tackle that caught the leg of Jesús Gallardo.

Though that left England down to 10 players, a penalty kick in the 60th minute gave the Three Lions a chance to pad their lead, after Raúl Rangel fouled Anthony Gordon in the box. That left captain Harry Kane able to convert the penalty with ease, scoring his sixth goal at this World Cup and giving England a 3-1 lead.

But Mexico was far from done: Minutes later, Kane knocked legs with Brian Gutiérrez in the box, giving El Tri a penalty after another VAR review. Raúl Jiménez nailed the kick to pull Mexico back within one goal.

The remaining 20 minutes — plus a whopping 11 minutes of stoppage time — gave Mexico time to try and find the equalizer. But despite being down a player, England was able to deftly hold off Mexico's attempts.

As El Tri grew increasingly more desperate, the changes got agonizingly close, but Jordan Pickford had three excellent saves, and Mexico continued to fall just short. After the final whistle blew, players from both teams fell to the ground — England in relief, Mexico in despair.

The loss ends a 10-game winning streak for Mexico in Azteca Stadium, and leads to a heartbreaking ending for El Tri.

England, though, is moving on, and will face a surging Norway in the quarterfinals.

It's a moment midfielder Tyler Adams said the team is fully embracing.

"You need to embrace the moment, that's for sure," Adams told reporters on Friday. "It was nice to get a little bit of a taste of what it feels like to play with something a little bit more on the line in the last game. I think that's good preparation."

"I think advancing, [it] doesn't matter if it's signature or not. I don't really care," Adams said. "I think advancing and taking this thing as far as we can is the most important thing. I think we have a good opportunity here to do so."

The goalscorers and goalkeepers usually command the spotlight. But some of the best players on the field are the ones who do their job without any fanfare.

That's Tyler Adams.

Watch Adams play for five minutes and you'll understand the often unnoticed actions he takes to control the game. Across three matches in the U.S. lineup, Adams has played the full 90 minutes; he's intercepted the ball eight times and won four tackles, per FBRef, but he's also cleared the ball in key moments. (Notably, Adams didn't play in the USMNT's loss to Türkiye, one of multiple starters that was sorely missed.)

Adams is in a unique position at this World Cup: The 27-year-old midfielder is returning to the World Cup after leading the team as captain in 2022, where the team advanced to the knockout round but fell to the Netherlands. But this summer, under a new manager, the captaincy was passed instead to veteran defender Tim Ream.

Adams hasn't shown any signs of complaint about losing the armband, and has continued to be outstanding for the U.S. throughout the 2026 tournament — and consistently underrated. Adams spoke a bit on the attitude and grit that have come with getting to this point.

"I think that's kind of what Americans are built off of, and it's nice to see that in our DNA, the way that we compete every single game, the way that we believe that we can do something special," he said. "We've put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this thing. It's been a lot of time on the road, and you wanna make it all worth it."

Case in point is Adams, a stabilizing force for the team from the midfield, where he plays as a defensive or central midfielder. However, Adams, who has previously praised the USMNT for their humble, selfless approach to the team, would never draw attention to the role that he plays on both sides of the ball.

"It's not about any individual performance," he told reporters after the USA's win over Paraguay. "We obviously have so many talented players, but if it doesn't all come together, then you're never gonna win a football game."

The best unsung players are the ones who affect the game on all parts of the field. Take this sequence in the 51st minute of the U.S.'s 2-0 win over Australia: Adams blocks a shot, intercepts a dangerous run at the top of the box and feeds the ball to striker Folarin Balogun for a very dangerous chance on the other end — all in the span of about 10 seconds.

Adams' position gives him a good view of the team's performance across the board, and it shows in how he talks about the USMNT's game.

"I feel like tactically we've been really sound in this tournament so far. I think we've done a lot of good things defensively, made a lot of tweaks," he said on Friday. "I think we've again shown the flexibility, versatility of the team, guys playing different roles, managing different situations really well. So I think against Belgium, we'll be well-equipped."

Adams' attitude heading into the game, which will be the USMNT's biggest challenge yet, is one that is focused on both the small details and the big picture. The game-by-game mentality was on display when the midfielder was asked to compare this summer with the USMNT's disappointing run in 2022.

"I think a lot of it has to do with experience, and understanding what the circumstances are, how to manage those moments throughout the game, understanding that you don't need to win the game in the first minute or the 90th minute, there's a lot of moments in between that," he said. "It's the details of the game, and I think you can just see the maturity of the team in those moments, when you go up one-nil, when you go down one-nil, understanding how not to concede, how to score goals in the biggest moments. Really putting finishing details on a lot of things, I think you're seeing it start to come to life a little bit more."

But the big picture piece comes with trying to make history, as the USMNT tries to make its mark in a country that hasn't always embraced soccer as its top sport.

Nearly three decades later, the Manchester City star has led his country to another shocking upset of Brazil with his brace on Sunday sending Norway into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time ever. What the 25-year-old Haaland does best — score goals — is what Norway has needed in order to make history.

How prolific has Haaland been at finding the back of the net on a consistent basis? Only three players in Europe's top five leagues have scored more goals than him since 2019-20. His 174 goals is an astounding stat, especially when you consider he's compiled that total in 199 matches for an 0.87 goals per match rate. His seven goals in this World Cup have matched the seven from Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe as the most in the tournament's Golden Boot race.

With great goal-scoring ability comes great responsibility. For Haaland, his talents have helped Manchester City win numerous trophies during his time in the Premier League. That success domestically has now transferred to international play as Norway returned to the biggest stage in soccer for the first time since 1998.

Haaland has welcomed the expectations, no matter how high, as he told GQ magazine earlier this year.

"Ever since I made my [international] debut in 2019, my big goal has been to get Norway to a World Cup and Euros," Haaland said. "It's a lot of pressure on me but I like the pressure — I would put a lot of pressure on Erling Haaland if I wasn't Erling Haaland myself."

Norway has participated in only three previous World Cups. Haaland's father, Alfie, was part of the 1994 squad that failed to advance out of the group stage. It was the only time he represented his country in the competition. The younger Haaland knows that even with an expanded field, qualification is never guaranteed — just ask Italy.

Haaland's embrace of pressure has been under a global microscope during the World Cup. Norway beat Iraq and Senegal in its first two group matches before falling 4-1 to France. In the Round of 32, Haaland's goal late in stoppage time pushed Norway past the Ivory Coast. His brace against Brazil led Norway to a stunning upset and into the quarterfinals.

Josh Heim/Yahoo Sports

A talent for scoring goals

Haaland's scoring talent has always been in his makeup as a striker. From his time with Norway's Bryne academy to making the first team to his moving up the European club ladder from Molde to Red Bull Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund to now Manchester City, filling the net has never been an issue.

As the goals have been delivered, Haaland's all-around game has formed. Former Norway striker Jan Åge Fjørtoft, who played with Haaland's father at the 1994 World Cup, has seen the three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner grow into a complete player at age 25.

"The Erling Haaland we knew when he was younger was a guy who had an unbelievable smell for goals," the ESPNFC pundit told Yahoo Sports. "But over the last 7, 8 years he's always been in development, but that's what's impressed the most — the heading, keeping the ball up front, improving with both feet. He's been in constant development."

Goal droughts don't last long with Haaland. His worst funk this past season with Manchester City came during a seven-game span in January. Despite that, Haaland finished with 27 goals, tied for second-most in his four seasons since coming to England.

The entirety of Norway's 26-man roster has yet to experience high-level European competition. The country's last World Cup was 28 years ago and they last qualified for the Euros in 2000. It's not just another tournament. That's why Åge Fjørtoft believes the most-important part of Haaland's toolkit that has developed alongside the goal scoring is his leadership qualities — a role he has grown into and embraced.

"It's also how he has developed as a human being, which is very important," Åge Fjørtoft said. "He's always been very popular in the different dressing rooms he's been in. … That is a vital part of his development. The physical attributes are all there to see, but the leadership has always been brilliant."

Unaffected by pressure

Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup posed no obstacle for Norway. They went 8-0, which included a pair of wins over Italy, while scoring 37 times and conceding only five. Haaland scored in every match, finishing with a UEFA-best 16 goals, double the amount posted by the likes of England's Harry Kane, Holland's Memphis Depay and Austria's Marko Arnautović.

Success in qualifying but an inability to make an impact at the Euros and World Cup is something that has followed Norway's national team. But having players like Haaland, Martin Ødegaard and Sørloth, who are of importance for their clubs, has changed that in this year's World Cup.

The pressure has been welcomed by Haaland. His rise through European soccer led him to Manchester City, a club that demands success annually, and the the now-departed Pep Guardiola, whom the striker said, "never stopped teaching" and "made greatness feel normal."

Two Premier League and FA Cup titles, and a Champions League are among the trophies Haaland lifted under Guardiola. There is nothing to show yet internationally, but the hope is there that this current Norway generation can turn into a "golden" one, led by their goal-scoring talisman.

"If there is one person you can give pressure to it's Erling because he's managed to not let that affect him," Åge Fjørtoft says. "There's a lot of people calling him a machine. I think it's more important to call him a human being because a machine can produce, produce, produce.

"He has been very good for Norway. He's been very proud to play for his national team. He has always given his all, scoring goals for fun, breaking all kinds of records."