SEATTLE– Folarin Balogun’s presence in the United States’ camp against Belgium had a seismic impact on the soccer world, but he ultimately played a forgettable role in the Americans’ 4-1 defeat in the World Cup round of 16 on Monday. The 25-year-old forward, who scored three goals at this World Cup, received a red card
The score aside, there was something different about this United States performance. After Pochettino managed to shake off the underdog mentality, they played with arrogance early in the tournament, attacking teams in such an impressive manner that it made fans believe their team could upset the odds in this tournament. “We’re going to win the
UEFA established new battle lines on Tuesday, expressing strong opposition to Balogun’s decision. European football’s governing body said Fifa had “crossed a red line” and described it as an “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision”. But this was not the first time that UEFA crossed swords with FIFA. In May 2025, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin led
SEATTLE– Folarin Balogun is in the United States’ starting lineup for Monday’s World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium after FIFA lifted his red card suspension in a decision that caused uproar throughout the sport. Balogun’s red card was called by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus for stepping on an opponent’s ankle last Wednesday during
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was among those who demanded the decision be reviewed. When asked about the United States’ World Cup performance during a news conference, Rubio said, “It was great. They got screwed with that red card.” “There needs to be an appeals process for that. It’s probably too late for that.”