Lukaku mocks Trump with dance, video goes viral

Belgium stormed into the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a commanding 4-1 victory over the United States in the Round of 16. However, beyond the on-field action, a political controversy has become the talk of the football world following the match.

After scoring Belgium's fourth goal, striker Romelu Lukaku performed an imitation of US President Donald Trump's signature dance, which quickly went viral on social media. The gesture was widely interpreted as a direct mockery of Trump and the US team.

The controversy began before the match when Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of a red card suspension for US striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun was originally suspended for the match after receiving a red card in the previous game. However, FIFA dramatically lifted the ban, allowing him to play against Belgium, sparking outrage in the football community.

Trump's intervention ultimately proved futile, as Balogun was completely ineffective throughout the match, failing to challenge the Belgian defence. Belgium dominated the game, shredding the US defence and securing a resounding 4-1 victory, eliminating the co-hosts from the tournament.

After the match, Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans said the controversy surrounding Balogun's red card had actually motivated the team. He said the Belgian squad held an emergency meeting after hearing the news and resolved to make their statement on the pitch. Social media has since been flooded with memes and trolls targeting Trump, with Lukaku's dance at the centre of the mockery.

Diabolical: Belgian soccer squad does the Trump dance after DESTROYING the US Team 4:1 pic.twitter.com/zjRnd5RYxW

— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) July 7, 2026