USMNT player ratings vs. Belgium: Grades for USA as Mauricio Pochettino eliminated from 2026 FIFA World Cup

By | July 6, 2026
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With its biggest opportunity to elevate soccer in the United States, the USMNT wilted in an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, resulting in their elimination from the tournament on home soil.

Mauricio Pochettino ushered an enjoyable few weeks through the early stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but finally faced with the chance to down a higher-ranked team and prove they belong amongst the European elite, the U.S. men fell apart.

Even without iconic attackers Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku in the starting lineup, Belgium dominated the game from start to finish. Struggling striker Charles De Ketelaere bagged a first-half brace, including the opening goal nine minutes into the game. Hans Vanaken added a third on the hour mark on a brutal error from goalkeeper Matt Freese, and Romelu Lukaku finished off the scoring in stoppage time to confirm the USMNT’s grim fate.

The comprehensive nature of the victory took the Seattle crowd completely out of the match, as they were waiting fruitlessly for a moment to energize the fans.

The Sporting News brings you a full list of player ratings for the match, analyzing the USMNT’s individual performances from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.

LIVE: Follow the USA vs. Belgium match with minute-by-minute updates

USA vs. Belgium final score

Location: Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (JOR)

USA starting lineup:

USA (4-2-3-1, right to left): 24. Freese (GK) — 16. Freeman, 3. Richards, 13. Ream, 5. A. Robinson (Arfsten, 90′) — 4. Adams (Pepi, 72′), 7. Tillman — 2. Dest (Reyna, 46′), 8. McKennie, 10. Pulisic (Berhalter, 59′) — 20. Balogun (Wright, 90′)

USA substitutes: Turner (GK), Brady (GK), Arfsten, M. Robinson, Trusty, Berhalter, Reyna, Aaronson, Zendejas, Weah, Wright, Pepi.

MORE: Why Folarin Balogun’s red card was suspended | FIFA has made a royal mess of the Balogun saga

USMNT final player ratings vs. Belgium

All ratings are on a 10-point scale.

Starters

GK — Matt Freese: 5

Made a truly outrageous diving one-handed save in the very first minute of the match, maybe the biggest save of his career.

Maybe could have done better coming out to deal with Leandro Trossard’s cross on Belgium’s second goal.

Unfortunately, he undid the good will from the early save as he conceded an embarrassing third goal by dawdling around in possession and then kicking the ground once pressured. It was a truly horrific moment that left the U.S. in a horrible position down two goals instead of just chasing the one-goal deficit.

RB — Alex Freeman: 6

With the weight of the nation on his shoulders in this game, he did not have a good start. On the Belgium goal, he blocked the initial cross, but then cleared the loss ball with his head straight to the top of the penalty area where Belgium could attack. He had all day to direct that header, but put it right into the worst possible spot.

Lost a good ball forward by failing to control it while sticking his foot out of it.

RCB — Chris Richards: 5

Extremely nervy at times on the ball, nearly giving it away on a number of occasions early on, but was not punished.

Was unsurprisingly the best U.S. defender, but still failed to provide the energy and spark he usually does marshaling the back line. Had a big late block on Leandro Trossard to keep the deficit at two.

Got his pocket picked on the Romelu Lukaku cherry on top.

LCB — Tim Ream: 4

Unable to paper over for the missing midfield, and beaten in the air a bunch early on. Absolutely posterized by Charles De Ketelaere on Belgium’s second goal, an absolutely embarrassing moment for the 38-year-old captain who was put in a body bag by a notably small and out-of-form striker.

Overall, an astonishingly poor performance from the U.S. captain, who at 38 years old needs to be replaced.

MORE: What does success look like for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup?

LB — Antonee Robinson: 5

Completely lost his man Charles De Ketelaere on the opening Belgium goal, as the Red Devil striker got free for a close-range tap-in. Far too lazy on a move that never should have been able to finish through traffic.

Indecisive on the ball, panicking and giving it away when pressured.

Showed better intent in the second half, attacking loose balls and delivering good, aggressive passes forward, but eventually fell victim to his usual sloppiness on the ball.

CM — Tyler Adams: 6

With the rest of the midfield trio faltering early on, Adams had too much on his shoulders. He made a significant number of defensive contributions, but was also dribbled past twice in the opening 15 minutes.

Was safe in possession as the first half went on and the second half began, hitting on 36/37 of his passes. With the rest of the U.S. midfielders struggling to have an impact on the game, he was a rare safe passer in the U.S. system.

Was sacrificed to bring on Ricardo Pepi with 20 minutes to go. It was a strong performance from Adams on the whole, but it’s hard to look past the times he was dribbled past, failing to shield the back line.

CM — Malik Tillman: 6

Totally invisible through the early spell of the match, with just three measly touches in the opening 16 minutes as the U.S. midfield was completely overrun through the beginning of the game. Briefly delivered a joyous equalizer on a free-kick that took a very fortunate deflection to wrong-foot Thibaut Courtois.

Overall, Tillman was the most impressive player on the U.S. team in this game, which was a low bar to clear.

RW — Sergino Dest: 3

Completely switched off on the opening Belgium goal, as he failed to Nicolas Raskin who fed the ball to Charles De Ketelaere in front of goal. Just stood there and watched it happen.

Badly mishit a one-two with Alex Freeman out of the first-half hydration break that left his teammate out of position. Got smoked by Leandro Trossard on Belgium’s second goal. While trying to beat a defender one-on-one in first-half stoppage time, he just barreled straight into De Cuyper and fell over, losing the ball in the process.

Finally did something positive with the final move of the first half, sending a fabulous vertical ball for Folarin Balogun that the U.S. striker wasted. A truly awful first-half performance from Dest overall, and he was deservingly yanked at the break.

ACM — Weston McKennie: 6

Outmuscled early on and too scattered in his positioning to help control the midfield. Booked for a truly awful clean-out tackle on Nicolas Raskin.

Gave the U.S. a bit of a spark out of halftime, with accurate and dangerous passing. Unfortunately, it faded and McKennie often got stuck out wide instead of helping out in midfield. Won just one of his six ground duels in the match, overmatched in midfield and occasionally lost in wide positions.

MORE: A thin midfield leaves USMNT dangerously exposed in 2026 World Cup journey

LW — Christian Pulisic: 5

Got on the ball a few times early on out wide left, but had no space to operate as Belgium closed him down extremely quickly. Lost all of his first three ground duels as a result. An uncharacteristically awful touch in the 39th minute ruined a U.S. counter-attack.

Out of halftime, a heavy touch ruined a good move forward on a hot pass from Weston McKennie.

The U.S. needs more from its superstar, even if he’s being game-planned out. He’s looked out of focus through the first half. Picked up an injury early in the second half when he kicked the leg of a Belgian defender while trying to shoot, and had to be subbed off before the hour mark.

FWD — Folarin Balogun: 4

Completely invisible in the opening quarter of the match, as the midfield struggled to get a foothold on the ball and get their striker service.

Completely bungled a big chance in first-half stoppage time as he mis-hit a close-range shot while being tightly defended.

Completely wasted the last attacking move of the first half as he rushed the shot on Sergino Dest’s vertical feed. In the second half, he was completely pocketed by Nathan Ngoy. His one late chance on the breakaway was saved by Thibaut Courtois, and his back-heel flick a little later went straight to a defender.

USMNT substitutes vs. Belgium

46th min — Gio Reyna: 6

Entered at halftime to replace the woeful Sergino Dest. Was active and energetic both on and off the ball, having a great impact on the U.S. buildup.

59th min — Sebastian Berhalter: 7

Entered on the hour mark for an injured Christian Pulisic. Came on with aggression and vitality the U.S. was lacking. Delivered a piledriver in the 79th minute that came ever so close to drawing the team a goal back. Fed a lovely first-time long-ball that dropped in a bucket for Folarin Balogun in the 81st minute, on a chance saved by Thibaut Courtois.

71st min — Ricardo Pepi: 4

Entered with 20 minutes to go for Tyler Adams, as Mauricio Pochettino needed to up the attacking tempo of this team. Got seven touches in 18 minutes while chasing the game, which is exceedingly poor for a player who is used to being a super sub.

USMNT coach vs. Belgium

Mauricio Pochettino: 5

Mauricio Pochettino was completely out-coached by Rudi Garcia in this match. The system Pochettino implemented at this World Cup was incredibly successful against teams the USMNT was supposed to beat, but against a team that could match the U.S. physicality in midfield, it completely fell apart.

The United States was completely undone in the middle of the pitch from the opening whistle, utterly devoid of the same physicality and sharpness that made them so strong in the earlier rounds.

Pochettino was brought in to elevate this U.S. side, but only left with a Round of 16 appearance, which fails to improve on the regular level of the United States at the World Cup. In the end, it’s hard not to see that as a disappointment.

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