Belgium booked their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals with a commanding 4-1 victory over co-hosts the United States, ending the Americans’ impressive tournament run.

Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, Hans Vanaken capitalised on a costly goalkeeping error, while substitute Romelu Lukaku added a late fourth to seal the win. Malik Tillman had briefly restored hope for the USA with an equaliser before Belgium took complete control of the contest.

The match came amid controversy over the eligibility of US striker Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was overturned by FIFA before kickoff. Belgium players admitted the decision motivated them, with captain Youri Tielemans saying the squad responded by letting their football do the talking.

US coach Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged his side failed to perform, describing it as one of their poorest displays of the tournament.

Belgium will now face Spain in the quarter-finals after the European champions edged Portugal 1-0, bringing Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career to an end. Mikel Merino scored a stoppage-time winner, while Ronaldo confirmed it was his final appearance at the tournament, saying he would take time to reflect on the next chapter of his career.