World Cup
For Belgium, justice finally arrived in Kansas City
The Belgian dressing room in Kansas City still buzzed with the afterglow of a 4-1 victory over the hosts when Nicolas Raskin spoke of justice.
The midfielder’s words came after Folarin Balogun’s red card was rescinded, a decision that had left the Belgians feeling hard done by during the match.
"You always get justice in life. You can call it whatever you want, but we didn’t find it fair," Raskin explained in the immediate aftermath. "Today we had to win and we got justice."
The rescinded card shifted the narrative from controversy to vindication for Belgium.
The match itself had been played under the shadow of the refereeing decision, yet the Belgian players delivered a performance that silenced critics.
Balogun’s dismissal had been a turning point in the game, forcing Belgium to regroup and find a way to break down a resilient United States side.
Raskin’s reflection captured the collective sentiment: the victory felt like a form of restitution after the perceived injustice.
For the Belgian squad, the win in Kansas City was more than three points—it was validation of their resilience and character.