Folarin Balogun admits USMNT were unsettled by red card controversy before Belgium defeat

Folarin Balogun has revealed that the United States men’s national team struggled to ignore the controversy surrounding his overturned suspension ahead of their 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the 2026 World Cup round of 16.

The Monaco striker admitted the unprecedented situation created uncertainty within the squad at a crucial stage of the tournament.

Balogun reflects on FIFA controversy

Balogun had originally been sent off during the United States’ round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, ruling him out of the clash with Belgium.

However, FIFA’s disciplinary committee overturned the suspension, allowing the striker to return for the knockout fixture.

Although delighted to be available again, Balogun admitted he quickly realised the decision would dominate the build-up.

“My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team, but when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy.”

He also acknowledged the impact it had on those around him.

“I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves, because it’s something that is so unique.”

Outside noise proved difficult to ignore

The controversy intensified after allegations of political interference emerged, with reports claiming U.S. President Donald Trump had personally attempted to influence the situation.

Human rights organisation FairSquare later lodged a complaint with the International Olympic Committee, alleging FIFA president Gianni Infantino breached political neutrality rules.

Balogun admitted the attention surrounding the incident made preparation far from straightforward.

“The closer we got to the game I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult.”

“A lot of outside noise, and that’s hard to avoid.”

Striker still disputes original dismissal

Despite the suspension eventually being lifted, Balogun remains convinced the initial red card should never have been shown.

The former Arsenal forward insists there was no intent in his challenge on Tarik Muharemovic and believes the decision placed unnecessary pressure on the USMNT during their home World Cup.

“I was in shock. It wasn’t even a tackle.”

“When something’s not intentional it should never be a red card.”

Balogun added that the incident created distractions the squad could have done without.

“It was just an unfortunate situation, and I think it put a lot more pressure on us than we needed.”

World Cup campaign ends in disappointment

Despite Balogun’s return, the United States were comfortably beaten 4-1 by Belgium, bringing an end to their World Cup campaign.

The striker’s comments offer a glimpse into the difficult environment inside the camp, with footballing preparations overshadowed by a controversy that became one of the tournament’s biggest talking points.