Folarin Balogun's father, Ben Balogun, has expressed that he is pleased with President Donald Trump's intervention in suspending his son's one-match ban from the World Cup. However, he also acknowledged that the decision to involve politics in sports has caused unhappiness among many.
Balogun, the U.S. team's top scorer with three goals in the tournament, received a straight red card during the team's 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. The tackle, which involved Balogun's leg scraping the ankle of opponent Tarik Muharemovic, was initially met with widespread sympathy but later escalated into a significant controversy.
President Trump confirmed he contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the red card. Trump stated he believed the call was an injustice, asserting, "That wasn't a foul. That wasn't even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other."
Following FIFA's decision to suspend the ban, Trump posted on Truth Social, "Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Despite the favorable outcome for his son, Ben Balogun told the Daily Mail, "I didn't like the idea of politics being brought into sport." He added, "I'm glad that President Trump did what he did - it's good for America and good for the U.S. team." He also noted, "I understand that people will be unhappy about this... but I'm very happy of course that Folarin can play in the match."
The Belgian Football Association appealed FIFA's decision to overturn the ban, but their appeal was rejected shortly before the game against the U.S.
Folarin Balogun, who was born in New York while his mother was on holiday, became eligible to play for the U.S. after previously representing England at youth international levels. He made his senior debut for the United States in June 2023. His father cited that opting for the U.S. team might have offered fewer established players ahead of him compared to England, and that football's lower profile in the U.S. also played a role.
Ben Balogun stated that he and his family are supporting Folarin and the U.S. team from afar, as travel to the World Cup is expensive and his son needs to focus. He also mentioned that the family supports England, having watched their recent match.
Folarin Balogun himself described the red card incident as unintentional and suggested a yellow card would have been a more appropriate punishment. He plays club football for Monaco, having joined them for €40 million after a successful loan spell at Reims, where he scored 22 goals in his first season.