You could call last night another example of #ETTD “Everything Trump Touches Dies.” Maybe the match was long over, far before it actually started, as the United States Men’s National Team saw the Folarin Balogun red card situation become a worldwide media circus. When you’re a sports news story, and then you morph into a political news story, well distraction is inevitable. And then distraction can lead to demise. Once Trump got involved, it all went downhill quickly. This is especially so for the team captain, Christian Pulisic, who once did a Trump style dance to celebrate scoring a goal.
All true at the same time
-Balogun didn’t deserve red
-FIFA shouldn’t reverse referee decisions because a politician called them
-Infantino remains cartoonishly corrupt
-Sepp Blatter can’t claim moral high ground on anything
-Nothing wrong w/ rooting for Balo & #USMNT tonight https://t.co/UnfksKstNo— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) July 6, 2026
At this World Cup, Pulisic never did a goal-scoring dance…because he never even scored.
Ceiling Reached Over and Over Again
This tournament started with a lot of promise, as the USMNT topped their group, with wins over Paraguay and Australia. Manager Mauricio Pochettino became the USMNT all-time leader in World Cup wins, and he recorded the first knockout stage victory since 2002. The USMNT has only won two knockout round matches, ever.
This was also the most goals scored by the Stars and Stripes, in a single World Cup (11). For that first half against Paraguay, Pulisic looked dominant, as he racked up the assists.
Then he suffered a calf injury, and was never the same again. The United States World Cup journey ended in exactly the same spot that it did in 2022, 2014 and 2010: the round of 16.
However, last night’s loss, unlike the other three, was a true rout. The 4-1 score line doesn’t truly tell the story, as Belgium out-classed them at all levels, and could have easily won that match by four or five goals. What a disastrous way to go out, of a home field World Cup.
Netherlands beat them decisively in 2022, but they didn’t totally blow the doors off of the USMNT.
In 2018, the USA didn’t even qualify and in 2014, it was Belgium again, but the USA took them to added extra time, and that Red Devils side was much better. Credit USA goalkeeper Tim Howard for his legendary performance. He almost single-handedly willed them to victory. The 2010 elimination at the hands of Ghana was a.e.t. as well.
For this side, the round of 16 was the pre-tournament baseline.
Anything short of it, disappointment.
Anything beyond it, excitement. This is just kinda meh; they could have done better.
Or could they? Remember how uninspiring they had looked, in the Pochettino era, up until the two pre-World Cup friendlies?
For now, the USMNT have a sort of “NBA Hell” thing going on. Just stuck on the treadmill, or hamster wheel, not really going anywhere. It’s time for a reset, as the window may have closed for this nucleus of players.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.