On Tuesday, July 14, striker Folarin Balogun, a central figure in one of the biggest controversies of the 2026 World Cup, declared that the repercussions of the suspension of his red card negatively influenced the performance of the United States team, before the defeat to Belgium in the round of 16 of the tournament.
During an interview with the CBS Mornings program, Balogun admitted that the group of North American players was directly affected by the uproar generated after then-president Donald Trump’s intervention with the International Football Federation (FIFA).
The striker confessed that his first reaction was joy at returning to the team, but, upon further consideration, he realized that the situation would trigger a major public controversy.
He added that he noticed a certain nervousness among his teammates, as it was a unique situation. As the match approached, he struggled to stay focused, but the task was arduous due to intense external interference, which was difficult to disregard.
Balogun reported that the American team had to manage the “external noise” that arose after the decision that confirmed their presence in the clash against the Belgium team.
Striker Folarin Balogun considers his expulsion unfair
The controversy began after the United States’ 2-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina, when Balogun was penalized with a red card, a decision confirmed after VAR analysis. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus was the one who opted to expel the player at that moment.
During the play, Balogun competed for the ball with defender Muharemovic and ended up stepping hard on the Bosnian athlete’s heel. Although the action did not appear to be intentional, the video referee asked Claus to review the move.
After the review and without hesitation, the Brazilian referee returned to the field and announced, over the Santa Clara stadium’s sound system, that Balogun was expelled, a decision that the attacker classified as unfair.
“It wasn’t even a foul, so I was completely shocked. I think everyone could see my reaction, but I had to just accept the decision and try to support my team,” said Balogun.
He added that when an action is unintentional, a red card should never be issued. For him, it was just an unfortunate incident that placed excessive and unnecessary pressure on the team.
After the expulsion, Donald Trump, former president of the United States, contacted Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, requesting a reassessment of what happened. This movement caused a wide repercussion and sparked a global debate about the autonomy of disciplinary procedures within football’s highest entity.
However, the controversy did not change the result on the field for the American campaign. Belgium defeated the United States 4-1 in Seattle, guaranteeing their place in the quarterfinals and ending the hosts’ participation in the World Cup. The Balogun case dominated much of the international coverage of the game and the elimination.
Even before the match, FIFA had already rejected an attempt by the Belgian Federation to question the striker’s presence. Balogun played the match normally, however, the United States were unable to avoid defeat and the resulting dismissal from the World Cup for the Belgian team.
