Pochettino backs FIFA's Balogun ban suspension ahead of USA's last-16 clash with Belgium

FIFA has suspended Folarin Balogun’s one-match red card ban, making the United States striker available for Monday’s World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium in Seattle. The announcement, made on Sunday, follows a direct phone call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino — an intervention that drew immediate scrutiny from both camps.

US head coach Mauricio Pochettino welcomed the ruling in unambiguous terms. “I think everyone who really looked at the sport and trusts in ethics and integrity should celebrate that decision,” he said. “We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing with 10 men for 35 minutes after a decision that was completely unfair.”

Balogun was dismissed during Wednesday’s round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after a video review confirmed he had planted his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic. The 25-year-old’s red card left the USA a man down for a significant stretch of the match.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia reportedly likened the ruling to “April Fool’s Day”. Pochettino acknowledged Garcia’s objection but maintained the outcome was good for football. “Integrity and ethics are global,” he said, “and more fair than that is impossible.”

Pochettino was careful to distance himself from the political dimension of the appeal, saying he had not been involved in the process and only learned of the decision shortly before the team’s training session. He also stressed that political pressure should not shape sporting verdicts. “We cannot mix that,” he said.

Despite the boost of Balogun’s return, Pochettino played down any suggestion that the team’s fortunes rest on a single player. “The power is in the 26 players,” he said. “Maybe tomorrow my decision is to put Balogun on the bench. Who knows?”

Balogun has been the USA’s leading scorer at the tournament, stepping up in the absence of Christian Pulisic, whose involvement has been limited by injury. The stakes on Monday are considerable: the USA lost 5-2 to Belgium in a World Cup warm-up fixture in March, and Pochettino described the Belgians as “one of the greatest teams in the world” and genuine contenders to lift the trophy.

For the host nation, a quarter-final place would carry significance beyond the scoreline. “I think this knockout round against a European country, being at the door of the quarter-finals, would make even more history for a country like this,” Pochettino said. He added that the World Cup had accelerated football’s growth in the United States, with people “waking up and beginning to feel the sport” in a way that had not been true before the tournament.