Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder was among the crowd at Seattle's Lumen Field on Monday 6 July for a 2026 FIFA World Cup round-of-16 tie between the United States and Belgium, and provided a rare moment of levity as the American side slid towards defeat. With the US trailing 3-1, television cameras cut to Vedder, 61, who downed his entire beer, let the froth run down his face and then balanced the empty can on his head, drawing a roar from the sold-out stadium as Pearl Jam's 1991 debut single "Alive" played over the PA.

The gesture could not rescue the hosts, who looked outmatched for much of the game and were eliminated after a 4-1 loss to a Belgian team that had conceded only four goals on their run to the last 16. The match was preceded by controversy: US striker Folarin Balogun's return from a one-match suspension, imposed for a red card in the previous game, was reportedly cleared following a phone call from President Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, though Balogun made little impact. Belgium taunted their opponents afterwards, posting "Overturn this" on X and mocking Trump's signature dance as they left the pitch. Vedder, better known as a Chicago Cubs baseball fan, is on a summer break, with Pearl Jam not due to play until the Ohana Festival in California on 27 September.