Football Daily | How to destroy a feelgood factor with a sad star-spangled World Cup response

. UK edition

A fan reacts to a United States loss against Belgium

In today’s Football Daily: USA. USA. US … oh

IT’S A KNOCKOUT

Where to start? “Overturn this”? Romelu Lukaku dance-mocking Donald Trump? Civil war erupting between Fifa and Uefa? Maybe here: full-time in Seattle on Monday brought an end to the Geopolitics World Cup’s three-day hostmageddon. Saturday: Canada thunked 3-0 by Morocco. Sunday: Mexico Helm’s-Deeped 3-2 by England. Monday: USA USA USA routed 4-1 by Belgium.

For those who may have missed it, a quick catch-up: Folarin Balogun was sent off in the last 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a dubious decision made after a VAR review that triggered an automatic one-match ban. Trump phoned Fifa three times asking for the ban not to be imposed in the last 16 and these calls had, says Fifa, no impact at all on, um, the ban not being imposed in the last 16. So it was that Balogun, scorer of three goals in four games, was able to line up against Belgium in the Pacific Northwest, the footballing equivalent of the “It’s Fine” meme, the rest of the sport on fire with opprobrium, the final crumbs of Gianni Infantino’s credibility incinerated, a war of words between Fifa and Uefa bursting into flame. It was hard not to feel sorry for the home fans, their likeable and entertaining team suddenly made hired goons for a couple of clowning presidential supervillains.

Even so, the correct star-spangled response would surely to have been to swagger into Seattle with superpower certainty, the rest of the football world’s salty tears fuelling a turbo-charged flag-waving demolition job of this creaking, rickety Belgium side. Instead, the feelgood factor destroyed, they simply failed to turn up. The head coach was the only member of the squad showing the requisite passion, Mauricio Pochettino furiously hoofing a loaded case of bright blue hydration-break juice after his side had immediately wasted a slice of good fortune with their equaliser at 1-1 by conceding again within seconds.

The obvious conclusion is that the whole episode had a net negative effect on the team. But, while the performance as a whole was tentative verging on timid, blaming the ongoing off-field drama for the defensive disasterclass of the opener, Tim Ream’s supersoft defending for the key second or goalkeeper Matt Freese’s decision to go freestyling 40 yards from his own goal for the clinching third is stretching it a little. Perhaps this was just a half-decent national side finding things a little too tough at the business end of a tournament now for ever tainted by murky political machinations.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

It’s the last of the last 16. Join Scott Murray at 5pm BST/12pm EDT for updates from Argentina 3-2 Egypt (aet), then Billy Munday will be on hand at 9pm BST/4pm EDT for Switzerland 1-3 Colombia. 

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I am sad to leave like this but I have given everything, always given my best … it was my last World Cup, yes, but as far as the rest of it is concerned: there will be time to think, to be with my family, [I will] not make decisions in the heat of the moment. Before Cristiano, Portugal had never won a title trophy … So I repeat: I leave here with a clear conscience. Tomorrow will be another day and life goes on” – Cristiano Ronaldo gets his third-person on to confirm he has played his last World Cup following the 1-0 defeat by Spain in the last 16. Roberto Martínez also confirmed he is throwing himself back into the jobs market, so if you have a golden generation to waste, you know what to do.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

I officially withdraw my request for the USA USA USA to regain one of our exclamation points (Football Daily letters passim). Fresh off his successful programme to suck all of the joy and pride from our nation’s 250th birthday celebration, now the president has managed to destroy any joy and pride that might be had from the USMNT at the GWC. Sigh” – Pat Condreay.

Followers of 1960s American movies will have placed money on the USA USA USA losing, because they knew that If It’s Tuesday*, This Must Be Belgium. *European time” – Duncan Steel.

Jordan Henderson plays a total of six minutes against Panama; gets booked as an unused sub against Mexico; and then breaks his wrist celebrating the victory. Is this the epitome of Minor Character Energy?” – James Maltby.

The Brazilian FA was planning a statue of Neymar, but it kept falling over” – Andrew Bryant.

If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day goes to … Pat Condreay. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.  

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

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