Belgium stages one of the greatest World Cup comebacks to reach the Round of 16
Trailing 2-0 with five minutes left, the Red Devils scored three times to eliminate Senegal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Down two goals with five minutes left on the clock, most teams pack it in. Belgium had other ideas.
In what is already being called one of the most dramatic matches in World Cup history, the Red Devils overturned a two-goal deficit against Senegal on July 1 at Lumen Field in Seattle, winning 3-2 in extra time to advance to the Round of 16.
Senegal had been the better side for almost the entire match, and the scoreline reflected it. Habib Diarra broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, and Ismaila Sarr doubled the lead in the 70th. For most of the game, it looked like Belgium’s tournament was over.
Three goals, one historic night
Romelu Lukaku pulled one back in the 86th minute, giving Belgium a lifeline that very few people expected them to take. Three minutes later, Youri Tielemans made it 2-2, sending Lumen Field into chaos and pushing the match into extra time.
Extra time itself was tense and largely goalless, until a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Belgium in the 120th minute. Tielemans stepped up and converted in the 120+4 minute, completing one of the latest and most improbable turnarounds the tournament has ever seen.
Senegal, who had controlled large portions of the match and looked set to progress, were eliminated. It is a painful exit for a side that will feel they did enough to win.
What this means for Belgium going forward
Belgium now advance to the Round of 16, where they will face either the United States or Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Tielemans is the name to watch. Two goals in the final minutes of a World Cup knockout match, including a converted penalty under maximum pressure, is the kind of performance that defines careers. His composure in the 120+4 minute, with everything on the line, was the difference between a tournament exit and a historic result.
Lukaku, too, reminded everyone why he remains central to Belgium’s attacking plans. The goal in the 86th minute was the spark that made everything else possible. Without it, there is no Tielemans equalizer, no extra time, no penalty, no Round of 16.