Why This Topic Landed in Japan

President Trump reportedly leaned on the FIFA president directly to grant a reprieve on US striker Balogun's suspension, and that "blatant political interference in sport" drew international backlash — making it an easy target for ridicule on the Japanese internet. On top of that, the early exit of every Asian side, Japan included, layered a wave of self-mockery on top of the "serves them right" gloating aimed at the USA.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Ridicule of Trump's political meddling — The reprieve for Balogun followed by a heavy defeat was overwhelmingly consumed as "justice served" and "serves them right," framed as a self-inflicted collapse after politics warped the game.
  • Schadenfreude over the USA's exit — Seeing the host nation as having advanced on home-turf favoritism, many welcomed Belgium's rout as "a result the whole world can cheer."
  • Self-deprecation over Asian football and slot debates — Stung by the foreign press's verdict, commenters drifted into self-mocking talk of "let's focus on baseball" and even cutting Asia's World Cup allocation.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

The USA's Loss to Belgium and the Balogun Controversy

Balogun, whose suspension Trump had gotten reprieved, started but flopped, and the USA lost heavily to Belgium and were eliminated.

武龍
武龍
@BuRyu1177
·

【W杯2026決勝トーナメント2回戦 アメリカ 1－4 ベルギー】 ベルギーが準々決勝進出！ デ・ケテラーレ2発＆ルカク後半ATダメ押し弾！ベルギーが開催国撃破で8強入り。 アメリカでは、渦中のバログンは先発もノーゴール。アメリカ、カナダ、メキシコと共催三カ国はすべてラウンド16で敗退。

Image
Image
Image
Image
Reply
Read more on X
ライブドアニュース
ライブドアニュース
@livedoornews
·

【北中米W杯】ベルギーがロシア大会ぶりベスト8！ アメリカ敗退で開催国全滅 news.livedoor.com/article/detail… ベルギーがアメリカを4-1で下し、ベスト8進出を決めた。開幕から2試合連続ドローと出遅れたベルギーだが、そこから3試合連続3得点以上と攻撃力を発揮。準々決勝ではスペインと激突する。

Image
Reply
Read 229 replies
View post on X

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "So Belgium really were the Red Devils, huh??"
  • "Serves you right, you idiot Trump."
  • "I'm worried that if Trump throws a fit, prices in Japan will go up even more."
  • "The USA were awful, but maybe the Balogun uproar had already broken their spirit."
  • "The whole world is thrilled that cheating America lost, lol."
  • "If Trump hadn't meddled before the match, they'd actually have been a likable team."
  • "Now I'm worried Trump's anger will turn on the US team."
  • "America is so weak, lol."

Asia's Total Wipeout and the Foreign Media's Verdict

Every one of Asia's nine teams was eliminated with none reaching the round of 16, prompting harsh assessments from a Malaysian paper and others.

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "Alright, let's just focus on baseball."
  • "Even if they're hopeless, the population is huge — too big a market to ignore."
  • "I wondered who was criticizing us — turns out it's a Malaysian paper, lol. Don't make me laugh."
  • "Two slots for Asia is plenty, lol."
  • "If this Japan side couldn't do it, then it really is hopeless. We thought we were closing in on the world, but we've actually been left further behind."
  • "With Korea's dodgy semifinal run and North Korea's quarterfinal ages ago, basically no Asian country has actually won a knockout match in the last 50 years."
  • "Maybe try holding it without Asia once — I'd love to see how much money stops coming in."
  • "Yeah, nine slots really is too many."