Moments after scoring Belgium’s fourth goal against the hapless US Men’s National Soccer Team, Romelu Lukaku ran to the corner flag and joined his teammates in a mocking Trump Dance. The scene was repeated soon after in the Belgium locker room, this time as they sang the Village People’s “YMCA”—a staple of the US president’s political rallies. It was a final humiliation on one of the worst days in US soccer history.

It was also a sign of how quickly things have changed—of how toxic Donald Trump’s attempts to rig everything from the economy to soccer tournaments have become. Back in 2024, right after Trump was elected for the second time, his signature dance move was everywhere. NFL stars, third-tier British professional soccer players, and even Team USA’s own Christian Pulisic and his teammates were seen celebrating with the stunted boogie. The dance’s cultural emergence was an indicator of Trump’s personal soft power as he reclaimed the White House in the wake of the January 6 insurrection and multiple criminal prosecutions. But now—18 months into a second term marked by chaos, corruption, and war—Trump’s brand has been reduced to a symbol of American failure.

WATCH: Belgium players do President Trump’s ‘YMCA’ dance after eliminating the US from the World Cup pic.twitter.com/dA2rAbDwRR

But as this fiasco makes clear, Trump’s no longer able to convince the world to dance along.

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