Folarin Balogun discusses red-card controversy affecting USMNT in World Cup
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 14, 2026, 5:51 PM
Last updated Jul 14, 2026
Folarin Balogun addressed the red-card controversy surrounding his participation in the 2026 World Cup during an interview. He described his actions against Bosnia and Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemović as accidental and not deserving of a red card. The decision to suspend his ban before the Round of 16 match against Belgium sparked significant debate, including political involvement from U.S. President Donald Trump. Balogun's team lost to Belgium 4-1 after a strong start to the tournament, raising concerns over the impact of the surrounding distractions on performance.
- •Balogun said his red card was accidental and not a tackle.
- •Political pressure influenced FIFA's decision to lift his suspension.
- •USMNT lost 4-1 to Belgium after three wins in the tournament.
- •Balogun scored three goals in the tournament prior to the loss.
- •Concerns over team concentration arose due to outside distractions.
- 5:51 PMYahoo Sports — World Cup 2026: Folarin Balogun describes how red-card controversy affected USMNT: 'A lot of outside noise, and that's hard to avoid'
"Balogun maintains that him stepping on the back of the leg of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemović in the Round of 32 was accidental: "It wasn’t even a tackle."
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