The USA crashed out of the World Cup last 16 after a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in Seattle, with Mauricio Pochettino admitting the team never settled. Charles Ketelaere scored twice, either side of Malik Tillman’s free-kick, before Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku added second-half goals that confirmed Belgium’s place in the quarter-finals.

The loss continues a difficult pattern for the USA at this stage of the tournament. They have now gone out in the round of 16 in six of seven appearances, including their last four World Cups in 2010, 2014, 2022 and 2026. Pochettino’s side again failed to reach the quarter-finals despite co-host status.

Belgium were stronger in both attack and control, while the USA struggled to create chances. The hosts produced only seven shots, with two on target, and a modest 0.6 expected goals. Belgium managed 2.0 expected goals, reflecting the clearer openings they created and the pressure that led to the late strikes from Vanaken and Lukaku.

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From the technical area, Pochettino recognised how poor the USA’s display had been from the start. “Everyone saw from the beginning that we did not connect with the game. We were never in the game,” he said. “Even when we scored, we scored the goal for 1-1, we conceded in the next action. It was really tough from the beginning. Congratulationsto Belgium, they were better than us. It wasn’t our day. It’s not to find excuses or not to find arguments because we didn’t show normally the team can show, and that is the reality. We need to learn. It is a process to learn and assess the game and understand why we did not approach the game in the same way as the rest of the World Cup. Different reasons, maybe the explanation is so easy, it wasn’t our day collectively or individually. The principal person responsible is myself. We need to assess and see if it was not the performance or way we normally play.”

Folarin Balogun started the match after FIFA postponed the automatic one-game suspension earned for a red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina for 12 months. USA President Donald Trump had said on Monday that a request was made for FIFA to review the ban. Balogun arrived as the team’s leading scorer at the 2026 World Cup, with three goals.

On the pitch, however, Balogun found it hard to influence the contest against Belgium’s experienced back line. Balogun recorded a team-high three attempts but rarely received the ball in dangerous areas. The lack of service reflected the USA’s broader issues in possession, as Belgium limited space between the lines and controlled key phases.

Tyler Adams stressed that the disciplinary situation and political attention around Balogun did not unsettle the dressing room. “I think when it happened, it was just as much a surprise to us as it was to you,” Adams said. “I don’t think that noise or anything affected us by any means. If anything, it probably uplifted us in a sense. Was anyone a major presence on the field? I think he tried to be a presence and a nuisance, and at times, he was getting behind the ball and doing what he does. He just didn’t have too many opportunities.”

Attention now turns to Pochettino’s position after the USA’s exit to Belgium. The contract for Pochettino runs out this summer, and reports indicate extension offers are on the table, though no agreement has been finalised. The Argentine coach has indicated there is no urgency, with talks likely to develop later.

“In the next weeks, we can start to talk if the federation wants to talk,” Pochettino said. “Right now, it’s about resting a little bit, to think, have conversations with the federation to see what the decision is. I’m so happy. We’ve built a very good relationship; now is not a moment to talk about [my future].”

The USA’s latest last-16 exit to Belgium adds to a consistent pattern of falling short at this stage, despite home support and a core group in peak years. The coaching staff and federation must now examine the performance, address problems in creativity and mentality, and decide whether Pochettino remains the figure to guide the next cycle.