Folarin Balogun became the central figure of the most sensational scandal at the 2026 World Cup at home — even though his team lost 1:4 to Belgium in the quarter-finals, and he himself did not score any goals. The story of his red card, which FIFA overturned after a call from President Donald Trump, turned the striker from a hero into an object of mockery and hatred, and the US team into a symbol of injustice for the rest of the world.

Disqualification and suspension

In the 1/16 final match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun, who had already scored three goals in the tournament and become the best scorer of the US team, received a direct red card on the 64th minute after a VAR review. Referee Raphael Claus from Brazil saw a serious foul in his collision with defender Tarik Muharemovic — he stepped on the opponent's ankle.

According to FIFA rules, such a card automatically led to disqualification for the next match — the decisive game against Belgium. The US Football Federation received notification that the decision was not subject to appeal. The team had no suitable replacement for the best scorer, and the chances of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002 were threatened.

Trump's phone call

Two days before the match against Belgium, the situation changed dramatically. FIFA announced the temporary suspension of Balogun's suspension, applying a rarely used article 27 of its disciplinary code. According to this article, punishment can be replaced with a probation period of up to one year.

According to world agencies, this decision was influenced by a phone call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Trump himself confirmed that he \"asked to reconsider\" the decision but did not exert pressure. He said: \"I don't think this is a breach.\"

The red card was not cancelled. The enforcement of the suspension was simply suspended for a year — if Balogun commits a similar offense during this period, the punishment will take effect. This was the first case since 1962 when automatic disqualification at the World Cup was overturned in such a way.

World community reaction

The decision of FIFA sparked a storm of criticism. The Belgian Football Federation said it was \"shocked\" and the decision \"directly contradicts the regulations.\" UEFA called the intervention \"unprecedented, unimaginable and unjustified.\" England coach Thomas Tuchel called it a \"dangerous precedent.\" Belgian defender Timothée Castagne noted before the match: \"Well, the whole world is on our side against the United States.\"

Balogun himself admitted that he was not surprised by the \"controversial\" nature of the decision and simply accepted it: \"I accepted the decision when I was given the red card, and I accepted the decision when I was told that I could play.\"

Match against Belgium

The Belgian team crushed the Americans 4:1. Balogun started the match in the starting lineup, but did not score or create significant moments. After the final whistle, his social media page was filled with offensive comments:

• \"Karma caught up with them. They cheated but still lost\"
• \"Justice has triumphed\"
• \"The red card cancellation didn't help them at all, did it?\"

Sports result and psychological pressure

US coach Mauricio Pochettino said after the match: \"We were never in the game, even when we scored. It was really difficult from the start.\" He said that the scandal did not affect the team's game, however, he condemned the insults directed at Balogun: \"What's the point of insulting and receiving bad messages?\" Pochettino also expressed his disappointment that \"many people put politics and manipulation above ethics and honesty.\"

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, who previously criticized the decision of FIFA and compared it to April Fool's Day, denied after the match that the scandal affected the result of his team. He said that the players were informed about the situation, but \"the group is very mature\" and does not get distracted by external factors.

At the same time, Belgian players admitted that the scandal motivated them. Midfielder Thorgan Hazard said that the team held a meeting after the decision of FIFA and decided \"to respond on the field.\" Nicolas Castagne acknowledged that there was a sense of injustice in the team.

The moral cost of interference

Journalist The Athletic wrote: \"The president did not save Balogun. He did not give the United States more chances to win. He did not fix the tournament. He turned Balogun, whose class and character represented the whole team, into the face of the scam.\" The same author noted: \"First, the United States spent several weeks as a football nation, and then several days as a team that everyone else wanted to see lose. The beginning was worth it. The end was unbearable.\"

Rudi Garcia approached Balogun after the match, and the striker himself initiated the conversation. Garcia said: \"It's not his fault, he's not the one to blame.\" \"I really appreciate this gesture,\" added the coach.

Balogun was not asking for \"rescue\" from the very beginning and was not guilty of the scandal, but he was the one who bore the reputational damage — from insults and mockery to becoming ingrained in the minds of fans as \"the guy who made Trump call Infantino.\"

Permanent link to this publication: