Players on the U.S. men's national team bus heading to practice on Sunday received unexpected news: Folarin Balogun would be available to play against Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16. The announcement came after a FIFA ruling suspended his red card suspension, a development that surprised many on the team.
Chris Richards described the reaction on the bus as "Lit," noting that the news circulated among players before being officially confirmed upon arrival at Husky Soccer Stadium. "To be fair, we were lit on the bus regardless. We had our speaker in the back listening to music," Richards said. "Then one person said something, another person said the same thing and nobody wanted to confirm it. It was pretty much right when we got here that we found out it was true."
Balogun himself had been informed prior to boarding the bus, but kept the news quiet. Christian Pulisic observed a significant smile on Balogun's face and was able to congratulate him. "Knowing we’re gonna have him around tomorrow, it helps so much. It’s a big boost," Pulisic stated.
While the team had been preparing for Balogun's absence and considering alternative lineups, Pulisic indicated that his availability would not necessitate major tactical adjustments. "Of course you have other guys filling in and trying to figure out what the lineup could look like, but we didn’t have anything set," he explained. "It’s not like some crazy adjustment we need to make."
Some players initially expressed disbelief, with Richards remarking that "a lot of us thought it was AI at first." Alex Freeman shared the sentiment of relief and excitement, calling Balogun "such a talented player" and expressing happiness that he could "come out and be a very impactful force."
The team's discovery of the news mirrored how many in the wider world learned of it, through social media reports. Players were engaged in various activities, such as playing games or listening to music, when the news began to surface. "Some guys were playing Clash Royale, some guys were in the back listening to music," Richards recalled. "I think somewhere in between we all heard the reports, so that was cool."
