Fans of the U.S. men's national team have criticized former World Cup coach Bruce Arena for his stance on Folarin Balogun's red card in the Round of 32. Balogun was sent off after a VAR review determined he committed a foul against Bosnia and Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemovic.
Brazilian referee Raphael Claus reviewed the incident on the monitor after being alerted by VAR officials. The foul occurred when Balogun clipped Muharemovic's ankle while attempting to reach a lobbed ball. The red card resulted in Balogun's suspension for the subsequent Round of 16 match against Belgium.
Arena, who coached the United States in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, stated on the 'Coaches Corner' podcast that he agreed with the referee's decision. "I'm hearing intent, intent doesn't matter," Arena said. "It's a dangerous play. That foul, he could've broke the player's ankle... and obviously, there's no intent by Balogun. It's unfortunate, but you have to take into account the safety of the player and that's a dangerous play."
He added that while a yellow card might have been understandable, the use of VAR and the review of the foul in slow motion made a red card "conceivable." Arena expressed hope that Balogun's suspension would be limited to one game, allowing him to return for a potential quarterfinal match.
Arena's comments contrasted with the opinions of many other coaches, former players, and referees. Social media reactions from fans included criticism of Arena's prolonged absence from public soccer discourse and questioning the validity of his comments, especially when compared to those of former officials.
The U.S. is set to face Belgium in the Round of 16, a rematch of their 2014 World Cup encounter where Belgium won 2-1 in extra time. The loss of Balogun, the team's top striker, is considered a significant blow for the upcoming match.