USMNT to wear jinxed ‘Stars’ kit against Belgium after Christian Pulisic raised concerns over clash
The USMNT will take on Belgium in their biggest World Cup game in decades on Monday night.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have impressed throughout the 2026 tournament to date, and cruised through the group stage before beating Bosnia and Herzegovina on home soil to book a spot in the last-16, despite Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card.
On MOnday night, they return to Seattle to face Belgium, with a place in the quarterfinal for the first time since 2002 up for grabs.
In Belgium, the US will face their toughest test of the World Cup yet, and a team that beat them 5-2 less than four months ago.
They will also be playing in a kit that some believe has not been too kind to them – in fact they’ve lost the last three times they have wrn the stripes.
What jersey will USMNT wear against Belgium?
When the two teams met in March, the US wore their red and white home shirt, which pulls directly from the stripes in the American flag.
Belgium, meanwhile, sported their new away jersey, which is light blue with pink accents.
The two designs caused a massive clash of kit colors, confusing players and sparking fury from watching fans.
In a bid to ensure that doesn’t happen again on soccer’s biggest stage, the USMNT will be wearing their away strip on Monday night in Seattle.
The smart navy blue design features bright red accents and subtle stars lightly embellished on the front and back.
Together, the home and away shirts complete the Stars and Stripes of the American flag.
But it’s fair to say the USMNT prefer playing in their home kit.
Against Belgium, the team will be aiming to break a losing streak in it’s new blue kit.
So far, Pochettino’s side has worn it three times since it debuted in March, and they have lost all three games.
Two were friendlies against Portugal and Germany, and the latest was in their final World Cup group game against Turkey.
Soccer players — and fans — are often superstitious, so playing the biggest game in decades in a kit that is 0-3 so far is not a good omen.
US vs Belgium kit clash caused chaos in March
However, playing in blue against Belgium is far better than the alternative.
When the aforementioned kit clash happened in March, US Soccer said pictures of both jerseys were sent to referees before the game, and that at no time did officials indicate they felt there was an issue.
Many players, including Christian Pulisic, felt different.
“That just can’t happen. It was a bit strange,” he said after the 5-2 loss.
“It was very difficult. I didn’t know until we took off the pre-match shirts and then saw it and everyone was a bit shocked.
“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.
“And when it’s very similar, it’s difficult.”
On Monday in Seattle, there will be no kit clash. There will, though, be an opportunity for the USMNT to snap their losing streak in blue.
If that happens, the Americans will reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time since 2002, and might even look forward to wearing the ‘Stars’ over the ‘Strips’ moving forward.
Awaiting them in the draw – should they make it through – will be either Spain or Portugal, both teams who play in red and who may pose another dilemma for FIFA.
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