Star U.S. striker Folarin Balogun acknowledged that the decision to overturn his red-card suspension was controversial, a point he addressed for the first time following the U.S. Men's National Team's 4-1 World Cup exit against Belgium. Balogun stated that when a player receives a red card, the standard protocol is a suspension for the next match. The reversal of his ban, issued after a foul against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the previous round, drew significant attention.
"When you’re given a red card, usually the protocol is you don’t play in the following game," Balogun told reporters on Monday. "Then, when that decision’s overturned, of course, it’s going to be controversial." He added that the outcry over the decision, which marked the first time a red card suspension had been overturned at a World Cup since 1962, did not surprise him.
Despite the controversy, Balogun focused on his role on the field. "But as a player my job is just to go out there and focus on my job. And I’m disappointed we weren’t able to win today," he said. He conceded that Belgium was the superior team in the match.
Balogun, who plays club soccer for Monaco and had scored three goals in the tournament, was unable to add to his tally against Belgium. He expressed disappointment with the team's performance, particularly the lack of energy in a Round of 16 World Cup game. "Today we didn’t give the crowd a lot to cheer for. That’s the most disappointing thing, and that’s the part that hurts the most for me personally," he stated, describing his emotions as "disappointment and a lot of sadness."
The USMNT's elimination in the Round of 16 continues a trend, as the team has not advanced past this stage since the 2002 World Cup. The match against Belgium was preceded by the controversy surrounding Balogun's overturned suspension.
President Trump had claimed he asked FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review the red card. Meanwhile, UEFA, Europe's governing soccer body, criticized the decision to overturn the suspension, stating that "When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined."