Romelu Lukaku wins the World Cup back for the world with his Donald Trump dance in Seattle
Belgian victory is one for football and a shot against FIFA and Presidential interference
Romelu Lukaku is the new man of the moment as far as the 2026 FIFA World Cup is concerned, one of the stars of the Belgian outfit who took on Team USA, two Presidents and absolute corruption and celebrated winning their battle with a urine taking dance!
As more than one headline has stated on Tuesday morning, the United States team managed by Mauricio Pochettino didn’t even turn up for their last 16 clash against the Belgians in Seattle. They didn’t even raise a whimper in their 4-1 defeat.
And how could they? Thanks to the controversy fuelled by Presidents Trump and Infantino, this American team were on a hiding to nothing at the Lumen Field Stadium.
And that’s all on President Trump who has now confirmed that he personally decided that the red card awarded to Folarin Balogun against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the previous round was suspicious.
Trump suggested to the most hated man in football that FIFA might look at the red card and overturn it, even calling the character of the Brazilian referee and his background into question.
It was one of the most grotesque interventions by a political force in the history of football - even if our own Kenny Cunningham thinks the card was unjustified.
FIFA rules don’t allow for any political interference in football. National associations have been banned over such matters in the recent past. So the FIFA President should have ignored the call from the White House. Instead he sent a committee to work to review it all - and sure enough, they did what the US President wanted and suspended the suspension for a year so Balogun could play against Belgium for a place in the quarter-finals.
They might as well have held that committee meeting in the Oval Office. Just as they freed Ronaldo to play in this World Cup, after his red card in Dublin late last year, so they bent the rules to suit their hosts. Appalling behaviour but why are we surprised?
FIFA bows to their President and their President bows to men like Trump and Putin. That’s why the Belgian appeal against this decision was dismissed, why England are wasting their time even considering such an appeal against Jarrel Quansah’s dismissal against Mexico ahead of the Norway game on Saturday.
That’s also why Belgium’s win and Lukaku’s celebrations at the end of the game are so special. The veteran substitute scored the fourth and final goal of an emphatic win some three minutes into added time.
When the final whistle blew soon afterwards, Lukaku led his team-mates in a dance borrowed straight from a Trump meme on social media, a dance that was hilarious and so significant in its messaging.
Belgium won the game for those who still uphold sporting values. Lukaku celebrated with a dance that mocked the sinners in this story. It was a victory for football and a dance for justice.