Belgium Shifts Focus to Spain After Dominant Win Over USA in World Cup

Belgium has ended its celebrations following a dominant 4-1 victory over hosts United States and is now fully focused on a much tougher challenge against unbeaten Spain in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals on Friday.

The Red Devils trained in the Los Angeles area on Wednesday, still carrying the confidence gained from their impressive performance in Seattle on Monday. After producing a dramatic comeback victory against Senegal and then comfortably defeating the United States in the knockout stage, Belgium believes it has built the momentum needed for a deep tournament run.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the victory over the Americans was particularly significant because of the atmosphere and pressure of facing the host nation.

“We gained a lot of confidence because we knew it was going to be a hard game against America,” Courtois said. “They were the home team with a full stadium behind them, so it was nice to perform well both defensively and offensively.”

Belgium entered the match carrying added motivation after FIFA controversially lifted the one-match suspension of American forward Folarin Balogun , who had been sent off earlier in the tournament. The Red Devils responded emphatically, overpowering the United States before celebrating enthusiastically both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

One of the most discussed moments after the match was when several Belgian players performed a dance associated with US President Donald Trump , a celebration that has recently been used by athletes in different sports, including American star Christian Pulisic . Left-back Diego Moreira dismissed suggestions of any deeper message, saying the players were simply celebrating a major victory. Courtois, meanwhile, said he was unavailable to comment because he was undergoing doping-control procedures at the time.

Belgium’s preparations for Spain were not entirely smooth. The team relocated its training session after stating that the practice fields assigned at Loyola Marymount University did not meet the required standards. FIFA approved the move to an alternative venue.

Although Spain enters the quarterfinal as the favorite and has yet to concede a goal in the tournament, Belgium remains confident. Courtois pointed to Belgium’s famous 2-1 victory over Brazil at the 2018 World Cup as proof that underdogs can prevail. He also highlighted the team’s resilience, particularly its stirring comeback from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Senegal 3-2, saying belief and determination can be decisive factors in World Cup football.