US star Balogun knew red card reversal would 'cause a lot of controversy'
US striker Folarin Balogun said he expected 'a lot of controversy' after FIFA suspended his one-game ban at the World Cup following US President Donald Trump's request to review the decision.
Folarin Balogun, the United States striker, has acknowledged that he anticipated "a lot of controversy" after FIFA suspended his one-game suspension at the World Cup. The decision came after US President Donald Trump urged FIFA to review the red card Balogun received during the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which the US won 2-0. FIFA controversially placed the ban on a one-year probation period, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium.
In his first public comments on the incident, in an interview with CBS Mornings on Tuesday, Balogun said: "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 added: "I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it was something that's so unique. But 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."
The red card was given for stepping on the ankle of Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic. FIFA's decision to overturn the automatic ban after Trump's intervention drew sharp criticism from Belgium's football association, European football bodies, former FIFA officials, and many players, who argued it undermined the tournament's integrity.
Balogun described the days following the red card as confusing. He took on a supporting role in training before learning he was cleared. "We found out on the team bus. Everybody was like screaming and shouting," he said. The US lost 1-4 to Belgium, with Balogun unable to make a significant impact, though he scored three goals overall in the tournament.
