Folarin Balogun became the central figure of the most scandalous event at the 2026 home football World Cup — even though his team lost to Belgium 1:4 in the round of 16, and he himself scored no goals. The story of his red card, which FIFA cancelled after a phone call from President Donald Trump, turned the attacker from a hero to a target of mockery and hatred, and the US team into a symbol of injustice for the rest of the world.

Red Card and Disqualification

In the 1/16 final match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun, who had already scored three goals in the tournament and become the best striker of the US team, received a direct red card after the VAR review on the 64th minute. Referee Rafael Claus from Brazil deemed his tackle on defender Tarik Muharemovic to be serious — stepping on his opponent's ankle.

According to FIFA rules, such a card automatically resulted in a suspension for the next match — the decisive game against Belgium. The US football federation received notification that the decision was not subject to appeal. The team had no suitable replacement for the best striker, and the chances of advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 were in jeopardy.

The Trump Phone Call

Two days before the match against Belgium, the situation changed dramatically. FIFA announced a temporary suspension of Balogun's disqualification, applying a rarely used article 27 of its disciplinary code. According to this article, punishment may be replaced by a probation period of up to one year.

According to world agencies, this decision was influenced by a phone call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Trump himself confirmed that he \"asked to reconsider\" the decision but did not exert pressure. He stated: \"I do not consider this a violation.\"

The red card was not cancelled. Instead, the enforcement of the disqualification was suspended for one year — if Balogun commits a similar offense during this period, the punishment will take effect. This was the first case since 1962 when automatic disqualification at the World Cup was cancelled in this manner.

Global Community Reaction

The decision by FIFA sparked a wave of criticism. The Belgian football federation stated that it was \"shocked\" and the decision \"directly contradicts the regulations.\" UEFA called the intervention \"unprecedented, unimaginable, and unjustified.\" England head coach Thomas Tuchel called it a \"dangerous precedent.\" Belgian defender Thorgan Hazard said before the match: \"Well, the whole world is on our side against the United States.\"

Balogun himself admitted that he was not surprised by the \"controversial\" nature of the decision and simply accepted it: \"I accepted the decision when I was given a red card, and I accepted the decision when I was told that I could play.\"

Match against Belgium

The Belgium team routed the Americans with a score of 4:1. Balogun started the match in the starting lineup, but did not score or create significant moments. After the final whistle, his social media page was flooded with offensive comments:

• \"Karma caught up with them. They cheated but still lost\"
• \"Justice has prevailed\"
• \"The cancellation of the red card did not help them, did it not?\"

Sports Result and Psychological Pressure

US head coach Mauricio Pochettino said after the match: \"We were never in the game, even when we scored a goal. It was really difficult from the start.\" He said that the scandal did not affect the team's play, however, he condemned the insults aimed at Balogun: \"What is the point of insulting and receiving bad messages?\" Pochettino also expressed disappointment that \"many people put politics and manipulation above ethics and honesty.\"

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia, who previously criticized the decision by FIFA and compared it to April Fool's Day, denied after the match that the scandal influenced his team's result. He said that the players were informed about the situation, but \"the group is very mature\" and does not get distracted by external factors.

At the same time, Belgian players admitted that the scandal motivated them. Midfielder Jurri Tielmanns said that the team held a meeting after the FIFA decision and decided \"to answer on the field.\" Nikоля Racine acknowledged that there was a feeling of injustice in the team.

Ethical Cost of Intervention

The journalist from The Athletic wrote: \"The President did not save Balogun. He did not give the US more chances to win. He did not fix the tournament. He turned Balogun, whose class and character represented the entire team, into the face of a manipulation.\" The same author noted: \"First, the US spent several weeks as a football nation, and then several days as a team that everyone else wanted to see lose. The beginning was worth it. The end was unbearable.\"

After the match, Garcia approached Balogun, and the attacker initiated the conversation himself. Garcia said to him: \"It is not his fault, he is not the one to blame.\" \"I really appreciate this gesture,\" added the coach.

Balogun did not ask for \"rescue\" from the start and was not guilty of the scandal, but he was the one who suffered reputational damage — from insults and mockery to becoming firmly associated in the fans' minds with the \"guy who made Trump call Infantino.\"

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