Star-spotting in LA: why were Brad Pitt, Céline Dept and King Philippe all at Belgium v Spain?
The spectacle says as much about the Red Devils as a global celebrity magnet and an emblem of Belgian unity as it does about the result on the pitch.
In 30 seconds
- HLN and 7sur7 (both DPG Media titles) report a Belgium–Spain match in Los Angeles drawing heavy celebrity attendance.
- Named attendees per the reporting include Brad Pitt, Tate McRae, Céline Dept and King Philippe, King of the Belgians.
- The Flemish HLN headline leads with the celebrities; the Francophone 7sur7 headline leads with the King.
- Los Angeles is among the North American host cities of the 2026 World Cup, making it a recurring stage for European sides.
The event is a Belgium–Spain football match in Los Angeles notable for its celebrity attendance. Named figures: King Philippe (Koning Filip / le roi Philippe), King of the Belgians and federal head of state; Brad Pitt, American film actor; Tate McRae, Canadian pop singer; Céline Dept, Flemish (Belgian) social-media content creator. The Belgian national football team, the Red Devils (Rode Duivels / Diables Rouges), is the shared subject. Reporting is from Het Laatste Nieuws (HLN) and 7sur7, sibling DPG Media titles.
Background
The Red Devils have functioned since their 2010s 'golden generation' as one of the rare institutions invoked as a symbol of Belgian unity that transcends the Flemish–Francophone divide, which is why a royal appearance at their matches carries symbolic weight. The Belgian monarchy is a federal institution whose head of state is expected to represent all Belgians rather than a single region, while sport policy itself is devolved largely to the Flemish and French Communities — a structural quirk that makes the national team a federal-flavoured emblem in a domain the regions govern.
What to do
For most readers the practical stakes are modest: the evening confirms the national team's continuing pull as a unifying symbol and soft-power showcase, and signals that Belgium's new-media celebrities now move in international company — but it changes nothing concrete about policy, competition or public services.
Impact
Regional — In Flanders the story lands partly as home-grown celebrity news: Céline Dept is a Flemish content creator whose international visibility is a point of local interest, and HLN's Flemish framing put her name first.
EvidenceDeveloping · 1 primary source + 1 independent reporting source · some details remain unconfirmedExplore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
- Publication date unavailable
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 4 Aug 2026
- Publication date unavailable
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 4 Aug 2026
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This story was assembled from verified evidence, with its sources and reasoning recorded as it was written.