Rudi Garcia: "Belgium has shown that it is a major football nation"

Belgium national team head coach Rudi Garcia praised his team's performance following their 4-1 emphatic victory over the USA in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16.

The specialist emphasized that the players followed the plan perfectly and expressed special gratitude to the Belgian fans who stayed up all night to support the national team.

"You can be proud of your team"

Rudi Garcia dedicated his first words after the match to the fans in Belgium.

"It is currently 4:00 AM in Belgium. I want to thank all the Belgians who stayed up to support us. Today, you can be proud of your team," he said.

According to the coach, the team rewarded the fans' trust with a brilliant victory and a confident performance.

Belgium followed the plan perfectly

In the match against the USA, Belgium displayed attacking and disciplined football, defeating their opponent by a large margin.

"Today, we showed that Belgium is a major football nation. We played a great game and followed our plan completely," Garcia said.

According to him, the players executed the tasks set by the coaching staff at a high level throughout the match.

Onana's injury caused concern

The only negative aspect for Belgium in the winning match was Onana's injury.

"I don't know exactly what happened. But I think his injury is serious," the coach said.

The player's condition will be determined after a medical examination. His participation in the next match remains in question for now.

A test against Spain lies ahead

Having defeated the USA 4-1, Belgium will face the Spanish national team in the quarterfinals.

Rudi Garcia's charges made a strong statement in the Round of 16. Now, the Belgians must prove their level once again against Spain, one of the contenders for the title.