Belgium pulled off one of the wildest comebacks of the 2026 World Cup on July 1, erasing a two-goal deficit to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra time in a World Cup Round of 32 match.
The victory kept Belgium alive in the knockout bracket and set up a possible Round of 16 meeting with the United States if the Americans won later in the night.
Senegal struck first and built a 2-0 lead
Senegal opened the scoring in the 25th minute when Habib Diarra finished after Ismaila Sarr hit the post. Belgium then had to deal with more disruption in the 32nd minute, when at least three pitch invaders interrupted the match.
Senegal extended its lead to 2-0 in the 51st minute. Sarr scored that goal off a pass from Moussa Niakhaté, putting Belgium in real danger of an early exit.
At that point, Belgium looked well off the pace despite entering the match with star power across the field, including Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois.
Belgium answered and finished the job in extra time
Belgium’s response turned the match around, and Youri Tielemans was part of the celebrations after scoring Belgium’s second goal. The comeback eventually reached its peak in extra time, when Belgium completed the 3-2 win and sent Senegal out of the match after controlling much of the early action.
For Belgium, the result carried more than just immediate relief. The team finished third at the 2018 World Cup, then failed to advance past the group stage in 2022. This comeback offered a sharp reminder of the country’s ceiling when its top players connect at the right time.
If the United States won later in the night, Belgium would be back on a collision course with the Americans in the Round of 16. That possibility gives the result even more weight, especially after a match that had already become one of the tournament’s most dramatic swings.
For more on Tielemans’ impact, see Youri Tielemans Delivers 124th-Minute Itvx Live Penalty for Belgium, Youri Tielemans Sends Belgium Past Senegal Into Usa Vs Belgium 2014 Rematch, and Tielemans sends Belgium past Senegal, sets up Usa Vs Belgium 2014 World Cup rematch.
