ATLANTA – Television viewers and players alike had trouble distinguishing between teams during Saturday’s international soccer friendly between the United States and Belgium, as uniform color similarities created widespread confusion throughout the Americans’ 5-2 loss.
The match served as a showcase for both nations’ new World Cup uniforms ahead of the tournament running from June 11 through July 19. The competition will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Team USA debuted jerseys featuring red and white stripes inspired by the American flag, while Belgium introduced their alternate uniforms in light blue with pink details.
Belgian winger Jeremy Doku expressed frustration with the situation during post-game interviews with his country’s television network. “Sometimes you had to look twice, especially if you wanted to play quickly,” Doku explained. “I would have preferred clearer colours.”
USA team captain Christian Pulisic echoed those concerns when speaking with media representatives. “A lot of times you get the ball and you look up, you can’t really lock in on something. You only can base it off the colour of the shirt. That’s how it works,” Pulisic stated. “And when it’s very similar, it’s difficult.”
Belgian broadcasters issued an on-air apology to their audience following the conclusion of the match. Former Belgian national team player and current television analyst Marc Degryse directed sharp criticism toward event organizers.
“Football is a product that needs to be sold. Everything always has to be better and better, yet they still managed to make the match annoying with the jerseys,” Degryse commented. “This goes completely against the whole commercial aspect. This is really unacceptable.”
Officials from US Soccer defended their decision, stating that photographs of both team’s jerseys had been provided to match officials beforehand, and referees never expressed concerns about potential color conflicts.
Reports from Belgian news outlets on Sunday placed responsibility on the host American team, claiming they refused to compromise on wearing their new red and white design despite knowing it would create visibility issues with Belgium’s traditional red jerseys and their backup kit.
According to these reports, both nations wanted to unveil their new uniforms for the first time during this high-profile matchup. Belgium reportedly offered to switch to their standard red jerseys once the problem became apparent, but this solution proved ineffective since the American design also incorporated significant red elements. While the United States could have opted for their navy blue alternate uniforms, sources indicated this change would have conflicted with their marketing strategy.
