Folarin Balogun became the central figure of the most notorious scandal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — even though his team lost 1:4 to Belgium in the quarterfinals, and he himself scored no goals. The story of his red card, which FIFA overturned after a phone 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 top scorer for the US team, received a direct red card on the 64th minute after a VAR review. Referee Rafael Claus from Brazil saw a serious foul in his collision with defender Tarek Muharemovic — he stepped on the opponent's ankle.

According to FIFA rules, such a card automatically resulted in a suspension for the next match — the decisive game against Belgium. The US Soccer Federation received notification that the decision was not subject to appeal. The team had no suitable replacement for the best striker, and their chances of advancing to the quarterfinals were in jeopardy for the first time since 2002.

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 may 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 canceled. Simply, the execution of the suspension was suspended for one year — if Balogun commits a similar offense within 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 manner.

Reaction of the international community

The FIFA decision sparked a wave of criticism. The Belgian Football Federation said it was \"shocked,\" and the decision \"runs counter to the regulations.\" UEFA called the intervention \"unprecedented, unimaginable, and unjustified.\" England coach Thomas Tuchel called it a \"dangerous precedent.\" Belgian defender Timothy Castagne said before the match: \"Thank God 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 I could play.\"

Match against Belgium

The Belgium team crushed the Americans 4:1. Balogun started the match in the starting lineup, but he neither scored nor created 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.\"
• \"Dismissing 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 a goal. 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 disappointment that \"many people put politics and manipulation above ethics and honesty.\"

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, who previously criticized the FIFA decision 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 FIFA decision and decided to \"answer on the field.\" Nicolo Barella acknowledged that there was a sense of injustice in the team.

Moral cost of intervention

Journalist from The Athletic 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 whole 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 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 to him: \"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 start and was not guilty of the scandal, but it was he who bore the reputational damage — from insults and mockery to being firmly entrenched in the minds of fans as \"the guy who got Trump to call Infantino.\"

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