Belgium defeated Senegal in a thriller to claim a 3-2 victory and secure their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The 2026 World Cup Round of 32 clash between Belgium and Senegal turned into one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament so far, with the Red Devils completing a stunning 3-2 comeback at Seattle Stadium to book their place in the next round. Senegal took control early, breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute when Habib Diarra pounced on a rebound after Ismaila Sarr rattled the crossbar with a header. The Lions of Teranga doubled their lead in the second half, with Sarr himself finishing off a sprint past three defenders after a long ball from Moussa Niakhate. Belgium looked to be heading for an early exit, but substitute Romelu Lukaku pulled one back late to make it 2-1. The Red Devils then completed the turnaround deep into stoppage time, when Youri Tielemans scored from a header to level the score at 2-2 and send the match to extra time. However, just as the match appeared to be heading toward a penalty shootout, the referee pointed to the spot for Belgium late in the game, and Youri Tielemans made no mistake, sealing the win and sending his team through. WHAT A COMEBACK! 😍 #BELSEN #ScoredWithING pic.twitter.com/95tMhibciF— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) July 1, 2026 With this crucial win, Rudi Garcia’s men keep alive their campaign to surpass Belgium’s best-ever World Cup showing, the third-place finish they achieved back in 2018. Belgium’s Round of 16 rival and venue Belgium will stay in Seattle for their Round of 16 match, facing the winner of the USMNT and Bosnia and Herzegovina, who meet in their own Round of 32 tie. The co-hosts are the ones being favored to win the game, setting up what would be a great matchup between Kevin De Bruyne and Christian Pulisic. For Senegal, the result brings a heartbreaking end to a tournament that once again showed flashes of the spirit that carried them to the quarterfinals back in 2002, but ultimately fell just short at the hands of a Belgian side that refused to go down without a fight.