Folarin Balogun Admits Suspension Controversy Affected U.S. at FIFA World Cup 2026

The Stars and Stripes striker addressed the overturned red card that created chaos ahead of the Round of 16 clash against Belgium.

United States striker Folarin Balogun has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the overturned suspension he received during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a decision that sparked widespread criticism.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The American forward was sent off in the 64th minute of the USMNT's final Round of 32 match against Bosnia & Herzegovina after a strong challenge on Tarik Muharemović. The red card initially ruled him out of the Round of 16 clash against Belgium.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the VAR decision and Brazilian referee Raphael Claus' call, and reportedly contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review.

The red card for the AS Monaco striker was eventually overturned, allowing him to feature against the Red Devils. The decision became a major talking point after Mauricio Pochettino's side suffered a 4-1 defeat in Seattle, with many criticizing the controversy surrounding Balogun's availability.

BALOGUN'S COMMENTS

The forward admitted he was happy to return to the team, but revealed that the controversy created tension inside the squad before the match at Seattle Sounders' stadium.

"My initial reaction was happiness to be back with the team, but after reflecting, I knew it was going to create a lot of controversy, and I could almost sense some nervousness among my teammates because it was such a unique situation," he told CBS.

"The closer the game got, the more I tried to focus, but it was difficult. There was a lot of outside noise, and that's hard to avoid."

WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT THE CHALLENGE ON THE BOSNIAN PLAYER?

Despite replays appearing to show significant contact, Balogun insisted he never intended to hurt his opponent.

"I was in shock. It wasn't even a tackle. I was completely stunned. I think my reaction showed that, but I just had to accept the decision and try to be there for my team."

"When something isn't intentional, it should never be a red card, so it was an unfortunate situation, and I think it created much more pressure than necessary for us."