Folarin Balogun postal central figure of the most public scandal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup 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 canceled after a call from US President Donald Trump, turned the attacker from a hero to an object of ridicule 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 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 after VAR review on the 64th minute. Referee Raphael Claus from Brazil considered his collision with defender Tarik Muharemovic a serious foul — stepped on the opponent's ankle.

According to FIFA rules, such a card automatically led to suspension for the next match — the decisive game against Belgium. The US Football Federation received a notification that the decision could not be appealed. The team did not have a suitable replacement for the best scorer, and the chances of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 were at risk.

The Trump 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, the penalty may be replaced by a probationary period of up to one year.

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

The red card was not annulled. Simply, the execution of the suspension was suspended for a year — if Balogun commits a similar offense during this period, the penalty will take effect. This was the first case since 1962 when automatic disqualification at the World Cup was canceled in this way.

World community reaction

The decision of FIFA caused a storm of criticism. The Belgian Football Federation said it was \"shocked,\" and the decision \"directly contradicts the regulations.\" UEFA called the intervention \"unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustified.\" England coach Thomas Tuchel called it a \"dangerous precedent.\" Belgian defender Timothy Castagne said before the match: \"It's good that 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 got 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 were cheating, but still lost\"
• \"Justice has prevailed\"
• \"Canceling the red card didn't help them at all, did it?\"

Sporting 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 hard from the start.\" He said the scandal did not affect the team's play, however, he condemned the insults to Balogun: \"What's the point of insulting and receiving bad messages?\" Pochettino also expressed disappointment that \"many people put politics and manipulation above ethics and honesty.\"

Belgium coach Rudy Garcia, who had previously criticized the FIFA decision and compared it to April Fool's Day, denied after the match that the scandal had affected the result of his team. He said 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 acknowledged that the scandal motivated them. Midfielder Yuri Tilleman said the team held a meeting after the FIFA decision and decided to \"answer on the field.\" Nikоля Rakcen admitted that there was a sense of injustice in the team.

The moral cost of intervention

The Athletic journalist wrote: \"The president did not save Balogun. He did not give the US more chances to win. He did not fix the tournament. He turned Balogun, whose class and character represented the entire team, into the face of manipulation.\" The same author noted: \"First, the US 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.\"

Rudy Garcia approached Balogun after the match, and the attacker 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 did not ask for \"rescue\" from the beginning and was not guilty of the scandal, but he was the one who suffered reputational damage — from insults and ridicule to being fixed in the minds of fans as \"the guy who made Trump call Infantino.\"

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