World Cup 2026: Folarin Balogun describes how red-card controversy affected USMNT: 'A lot of outside noise, and that's hard to avoid'

Folarin Balogun emerged as the United States men’s national team’s breakout star during the 2026 World Cup. He was also at the center of one of the tournament’s biggest disputes, the second act of which came with a bittersweet realization.

Once the 25-year-old AS Monaco striker learned that the red-card suspension he was supposed to serve during the Round of 16 had actually been suspended itself, he was met with instant euphoria and eventual concern.

“My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team, but when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy, and I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it's something that's so unique,” Balogun told CBS Mornings on Tuesday.

“The closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult. A lot of outside noise, and that's hard to avoid.”

The change in punishment arrived one day before the UMSNT’s highly anticipated knockout round match versus Belgium, with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. Belgium’s soccer governing body was appalled by FIFA’s decision. It released a statement, questioning the ruling and pointing to a contradiction within the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

The fallout of Balogun’s sudden availability fostered more than just soccer discourse, however. It sprouted political conversation as soon as reports surfaced detailing that U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino midweek and asked the World Cup governing body to review Balogun’s ban. The following Monday, hours before the USMNT’s Round of 16 showdown in Seattle and a day after Balogun heard he was going to be able to play in that match, Trump confirmed his involvement.

"All I did, I asked for a review, cause I didn't think it was a foul," Trump said at a White House media briefing. “I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled. That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything that would be different.

“If they wouldn’t allow a top player, maybe among the best players, on the team to play, I think it would have had a big stain.”

Trump added: “I didn’t tell him what to do. I can’t tell him what to do. And I don’t believe he made the decision. I think it was a committee that made the decision. And they made the right decision. …”

It’s since been reported, though, that the determination to suspend Balogun’s red card was made solely by FIFA disciplinary chair Mohammad al-Kamali and without input from any of the 17 other members of his committee.

Trump questioned the credentials of referee Raphael Claus, who administered Balogun the red card during the U.S.’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. That said, not everybody took issue with the punishment. Even former USMNT head coach Bruce Arena labeled the play for which Balogun was sent off as “dangerous” and agreed with the initial corresponding discipline, purporting that “intent doesn’t matter.”

Balogun stepping on the back of the leg of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemović appeared accidental, and Balogun said in his interview on CBS Mornings Tuesday that “it wasn’t even a tackle.”

Whether VAR was misused to analyze the play was at the heat of the debate, too. After all, the contact wasn’t called a foul in real time.

“I was totally in shock. I think you could see my reaction,” Balogun said Tuesday. “But yeah, I just had to accept the decision and just try and be there for my team.”

He took the high road in the moment as well. Still, he’s maintained that he didn’t believe he deserved a red card in the first place.

“When something's not intentional, it should never be a red card,” he told CBS Mornings. “So it was just an unfortunate situation, and I think it put a lot more pressure on us than we needed.”

After winning three of its first four matches in this year’s World Cup, the USMNT looked like a shell of itself in a 4-1 defeat to Belgium on July 6. Even with Balogun, the Americans struggled to generate offense. Defensive blunders dug themselves a hole they couldn’t climb out of.

Balogun, who piled up three goals in the tournament — including one against Bosnia and Herzegovina — was held scoreless.

Current USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino refused to pin the loss on the distractions surrounding his squad leading up to the match. Balogun explained Tuesday that his group’s subpar performance belied their focus.

“From me being inside the camp and inside the setup, I know we had full concentration going into the game,” he said.

Balogun was ultimately fined $40,000 for the now-suspended red card, which has been delayed by one year. Irrespective of the “controversy” that followed him in the knockout portion of the tournament, Balogun came away from his experience with a heightened global profile. He just signed with Klutch Sports Group, the agency founded by LeBron James’ longtime agent, Rich Paul. Plus, he’s appreciative of the cohesion that the USMNT fostered amid the World Cup.

“It was amazing to be a part of it. I really felt we was able to unite the country,” Balogun told CBS Mornings.

“That was an aspiration of mine and the team before we set out, and I definitely felt that. I think you could see how many fans and how many young kids really were captured by it. And as I said, that's a very special feeling to be a part of that.”