Folarin Balogun Breaks Silence on 'Red Card Reversal' After Trump's Call

U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun, who found himself at the center of controversy during the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to an unprecedented suspension deferral, has spoken out for the first time.

In an interview with CBS, Balogun said, "At first, I was happy that the suspension was deferred and I could return to the team, but upon reflection, I knew it would spark massive controversy." He added, "Because it was such an unusual situation, I could sense a bit of tension among my teammates."

"As the match approached, I tried to focus as much as possible, but it was difficult to avoid the noise from the outside," he continued. "My teammates reassured me like brothers, and there was nothing I could do or change at the time."

Balogun, who led the U.S. to the Round of 16 by scoring 3 goals in the group stage, was initially ineligible to play in the knockout round.

He had received a direct red card after a video assistant referee (VAR) on-field review during the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he stepped on the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic during a challenge.

However, after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FIFA reversed its decision and deferred Balogun's one-match suspension for one year.

Balogun eventually played in the Round of 16 match against Belgium after the turn of events, but he failed to score, managing only one shot on target. The U.S. was eliminated from the tournament after a 4-1 defeat.

Balogun, however, drew a line, stating that the external controversy did not affect the team's performance.

"As professionals, we strictly separated our emotions from the job at hand," he explained. "Once we got past the initial shock when the announcement of my return to the team was made, it wasn't that difficult to separate our emotions from our professional duties."

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Ui-seon | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.