7M - World Cup Preview: USA vs Belgium: Key players to watch in the Round-of-16 matchup

The USA vs Belgium World Cup matchup could be the one to send the USMNT to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That win will not come easily, as an extremely talented Belgian squad stands in their way. This article will serve as a preview of the highly anticipated round-of-16 game, along with a look at some of the key players on each side.

The USA were victorious over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, dominating the pace of play and never really showing any signs of slowing down. They controlled the game, as they have in a majority of their World Cup contests so far. Belgium completed an impressive comeback in their previous matchup with Senegal. That experience could come in handy in what is projected to be a very tight game against the USA.

The game itself will be at 8pm EST on Monday, July 6. It will take place in Seattle and will be available to watch live on FOX. For streaming, check out the FOX One App. Spanish broadcasts will be available on Telemundo and Peacock.

The most important note from the game comes from the USMNT side. They will be without star striker Folarin Balogun after he received a red card in their previous game. They will need to rely more heavily on some other key players, especially the star player discussed first in the next section.

Players to Watch

Christian Pulisic (USA) – The main man known by every American fan watching this tournament. He's in all the commercials and advertisements for the event. This is the game where he needs to show he's not just the poster boy. He's the Captain America that USMNT fans were promised.

Chris Richards (USA) – Will be a huge determining factor in how far the USA go in this tournament. If he can have a major impact on the backline, there has been no one yet to slow down the USA's fast-paced attack. If he keeps that up against Belgium, watch the USA attack thrive.

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) – The star player for Belgium; however, he is now on the older side of his career. He's up to 35 years old and only played in 21 games this past season due to injury. Still, one of the best playmakers of this decade will be one the USA need to keep an eye on.

Leandro Trossard (Belgium)** – Will be the main attacker for Belgium, and likely the one to generate most of the offence. He's scored three points this World Cup, including two goals and one assist. Watch for him to be a real threat on goal on Monday.