Balogun admits FIFA red card controversy unsettled USA before 4-1 Belgium rout

Folarin Balogun has admitted that FIFA’s controversial decision to reinstate him for the United States’ World Cup round-of-16 tie against Belgium created genuine unease inside the camp before their 4-1 defeat in Seattle.

The Monaco striker, 25, had been sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina and was set to serve a one-match ban for the last-16 clash. On the eve of the game, however, FIFA made the unprecedented move to suspend his ban for a year — a decision that drew immediate scrutiny, particularly after United States President Donald Trump revealed he had called FIFA president Gianni Infantino in an attempt to influence the outcome. Infantino and FIFA have insisted the ruling was not shaped by political pressure, though reports suggested it was made without full consultation of FIFA’s disciplinary committee.

Speaking on CBS Mornings, Balogun described the moment he learned he would be available. “My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back in the team. But when I started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy,” he said. “I could almost see within my team-mates a bit of nerves because it’s something that is so unique.”

The striker acknowledged the situation had left him in an awkward position during training. “It was confusing because the team was practicing without me — I’m almost just playing a supporting role to keep morale high,” he added. “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.”

Balogun had scored two goals in three games heading into the Belgium tie and had been rested by manager Mauricio Pochettino for the USA’s final group-stage fixture. Despite his return, the co-hosts were unable to match a clinical Belgian side, exiting the tournament with a heavy defeat.

Balogun was careful not to use the controversy as an excuse for the result. “It’s more about being able to separate the emotion from the job at hand — we’re all professionals, so it’s not something I think was too difficult once we got over the initial announcement,” he said. “But from me being inside the camp, I know we had full concentration going into the game.”

The episode has nonetheless cast a shadow over the USA’s World Cup campaign, raising broader questions about FIFA’s disciplinary processes and the extent to which political intervention — or the appearance of it — can destabilise a tournament host nation.