Bruce Arena, a former head coach for the U.S. men's national soccer team, has stated that he agrees with the referee's decision to issue a red card to striker Folarin Balogun. The controversial call will force Balogun to miss the U.S. team's crucial Round of 16 match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Belgium.
Balogun received a red card during the team's recent game, leading to significant public outcry from fans who believe the punishment was too severe. The suspension means he will be absent for the team's most important fixture of the tournament to date.
Speaking on the FanDuel Network, Arena explained his reasoning, suggesting that the nature of the play, regardless of intent, warranted the disciplinary action. "Intent doesn’t matter. It’s a dangerous play and that fall he could’ve broken the player’s ankle," Arena said. "And obviously, there’s no intent by Balogun. It’s unfortunate, but you got to take into account the safety of the player."
Arena, who coached the U.S. men's national team in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, indicated that while a yellow card might have been justifiable, the involvement of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) likely influenced the referee's decision. "If the referee issued a yellow card, I could see that. But with VAR calling the referee over and he sees that foul in slow motion, I think it’s conceivable that he’s going to issue a red card."
This perspective places Arena in the minority, as U.S. men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino defended Balogun following the team's 2-0 victory over Bosnia Herzegovina. Pochettino stated, "For me? Never a red card. Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident."
The repercussions of Balogun's red card are likely to be debated for years to come, particularly if the U.S. men's national team is eliminated from the tournament by Belgium. The incident serves as a significant talking point as the team prepares for its high-stakes match.