USA 1-4 Belgium: World Cup 2026 last 16 – live

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>⚽️ <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/world-cup-2026-complete-player-guide">Player guide</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/bracketology-predict-a-path-to-world-cup-victory">Bracketology</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/04/golden-boot-world-cup-2026-top-goalscorers-winner">Golden Boot</a> | <a href="mailto:beau.dure@theguardian.com">Mail Beau</a></p><p>Through four games, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/belgium">Belgium</a> have retained 57% of possession with a 65% field tilt – a possession metric weighing only final-third touches – but haven’t found a way to maximize that advantage.</p><p>While possession can be a noisy statistic, viewing it in stylistic terms can be informative. So far at this World Cup, Belgium have won the possession battle in all four of their games, with Senegal playing them closest in a 52-48 split. The United States have maintained a 58% share of the ball in their four games, neck-and-neck with Garcia’s Belgium. If Mauricio Pochettino’s side can keep the ball off Belgian feet more often than not, it could unsettle the Red Devils.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jul/06/usa-v-belgium-world-cup-2026-last-16-live">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.