Folarin Balogun (Monaco), the U.S. national soccer team forward who found himself at the center of controversy after his red card suspension was unprecedentedly deferred during the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, has revealed that he anticipated significant backlash immediately after the decision was reversed.
In an interview with U.S. broadcaster CBS on July 15 (KST), 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 a massive controversy." He added, "It was such an unusual situation that I could sense a bit of tension among my teammates."
"As the match approached, I tried to stay as focused as possible, but it was difficult to avoid the outside noise," 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 three goals in the group stage alone, was initially ineligible to play in the Round of 16 match.
This was because he received a direct red card after a video assistant referee (VAR) on-field review for stepping on the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic during a challenge in the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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.
"I was confused because the team was training without me, and I was focusing on my role as a supporter to boost team morale," Balogun recalled. "When I heard the news that I was eligible to play while on the team bus heading to the training ground, all my teammates shouted and cheered."
After the twists and turns, Balogun started as the lone striker in the U.S. Round of 16 match against Belgium. He failed to score, recording only three shots (one on target), and the U.S. ended its tournament run with a 4-1 defeat.
However, Balogun 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 we had to do. Once we got past the initial shock of the first announcement that I would be returning to the team, it wasn't that difficult to separate the two," he explained.
"The result of the heavy loss against Belgium might make it look like we weren't fully focused on the game," he emphasized. "But having watched the preparation process inside the camp, I know that we were completely focused ahead of the match."
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)