United States striker Folarin Balogun stated that he anticipated substantial controversy following FIFA's decision to suspend his one-game ban during the World Cup. He also noted the resulting "nerves" among his teammates.

Balogun, 25, received a red card for serious foul play in a match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, an offense that typically results in an automatic suspension. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee opted to suspend his ban for one year. This decision drew widespread criticism, particularly after reports emerged that U.S. President Donald Trump and White House officials had intervened with the sport's governing body regarding Balogun's sanction.

The suspension waiver allowed Balogun to participate in the U.S. team's match against Belgium in the last 16, a move that UEFA, European football's governing body, described as "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable."

"My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back in the team but when I started to reflect, I knew it was going to start a lot of controversy and I could almost see within my team-mates a bit of nerves because it is something that is so unique," Balogun told CBS.

He added that while he focused on the game, the external attention made it difficult to ignore. "The closer we got to the game, I focused the best I could but it was difficult. The outside noise is hard to avoid." Balogun credited his teammates for providing reassurance, stating, "My team-mates are like my brothers, they gave me a lot of reassurance. There was nothing I could do or change."

The decision to waive Balogun's suspension was made two days prior to the United States' 4-1 defeat to Belgium. Balogun learned of his eligibility to play while on the team bus, an announcement that led to "screaming and shouting" within the squad.

Given the unusual circumstances of avoiding an immediate suspension for a straight red card, Balogun mentioned that he was not heavily involved in the initial preparations for the game. "It was confusing as the team was practising without me in the team. I almost played a supporting role to keep the morale high," the Monaco striker explained. "When we found out on the team bus, everyone was screaming and shouting. It was a pretty intense bus ride to the practice field."