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The United States Men's National Team had each nan momentum erstwhile Folarin Balogun's reddish card from nan Round of 32 was suspended, giving him a chance to play successful nan Round of 16 — astatine least, that's what American shot fans thought.
The time earlier nan USMNT's Round of 16 game against Belgium, which Balogun was primitively expected to miss because of a reddish paper successful nan erstwhile game, FIFA ruled that he would beryllium eligible.
The ruling added to what was already a immense controversy, arsenic it was based on Balogun should not person been red-carded successful nan first place. Nonetheless, Balogun was progressive contempt an entreaty and beardown guidance from Belgium.
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United States guardant Folarin Balogun kicks nan shot against Bosnia and Herzegovina successful nan Round of 32 of nan 2026 FIFA World Cup astatine Levi's Stadium successful Santa Clara, California. (David Gonzales)
However, it was hardly a needle-mover, arsenic Belgium embarrassed nan Stars and Stripes pinch a 4-1 win. If anything, nan needle mightiness person moved nan incorrect way, Balogun himself said.
"My first guidance was I was happy to beryllium backmost successful nan team, but erstwhile I benignant of started to reflect, I knew it was going to origin a batch of controversy, and I could almost spot wrong my teammates a spot of nerves, because it is thing that is truthful unique," Balogun told CBS connected Tuesday.
"The person we sewage to nan game, I tried to conscionable attraction arsenic champion arsenic I could, but it was difficult. A batch of extracurricular sound and that’s difficult to avoid."
Balogun said the full situation was "confusing," arsenic nan squad was initially practicing without him. But nan squad recovered retired connected nan autobus to believe that Balogun would beryllium active.
"Everybody was screaming and shouting," Balogun said.
BELGIUM MANAGER PRAISES CLASSY GESTURE BY FOLARIN BALOGUN AFTER RED CARD CONTROVERSY: 'I REALLY LIKED THAT'
Folarin Balogun of nan U.S. celebrates scoring their first extremity during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 lucifer against Bosnia and Herzegovina successful Santa Clara, California. (Phil Noble / Reuters via Imagn Images)
But that did not alteration nan whirlwind of emotions, which whitethorn aliases whitethorn not person contributed to nan loss.
"It's much conscionable being capable to abstracted nan emotion from nan occupation astatine hand. We're each professionals, truthful it's not thing I deliberation was excessively difficult to beryllium capable to abstracted erstwhile we sewage complete nan first announcement. You saw it was a difficult crippled against Belgium and that tin benignant of overshadow whether we were focused aliases not. From maine being wrong nan campy and wrong nan setup, I cognize we had afloat attraction going into nan game," he said.
President Donald Trump admitted to calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to inquire for a reappraisal of nan reddish card.
"All I did was, I asked for a review, because I didn’t deliberation it was a foul," Trump said. "And again, I’m bully astatine this stuff. I didn’t deliberation it was a foul. I thought it was 2 awesome athletes who collapsed into each different and sewage entangled. That was not a feline punching personification successful nan look aliases thing that would beryllium different.
Team USA striker Folarin Balogun celebrates scoring a extremity during nan FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 lucifer against Bosnia and Herzegovina astatine Levi's Stadium successful Santa Clara, California. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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"I deliberation it’s a terrible… if they wouldn’t let a apical player, possibly nan best, possibly among nan champion connected nan team, to play, I deliberation it would person had a large stain. I relayed it. I didn’t show him what to do. I don’t judge he made nan decision. I deliberation it was a committee that made nan decision, and they made nan correct determination because, No. 1, it wasn’t a foul, and you want to spot a crippled pinch your champion players."
Belgium was knocked retired by Spain successful nan quarterfinals, and Spain will look France successful nan first semifinal lucifer Tuesday successful Atlanta.
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