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SEATTLE — Even though he said he had no involvement with the decision, United States men's national team player Folarin Balogun wasn't surprised about the controversy surrounding his sudden availability to play in the round of 16.Balogun was cleared to play against Belgium after a one-game ban he was dealt as a result of a red card in the round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina was lifted, a shocking move from FIFA. After the USMNT was eliminated from the World Cup with a 4-1 loss to Belgium, Balogun spoke of the situation for the first time since he was allowed to play."When that decision's overturned, of course it's going to be controversial," he told reporters. "So for me, it's something that it didn't really surprise me too much. But as a player, my job is just to go out there and focus on my job."According to FIFA rules, a player that earns a red card in the World Cup must sit out the next match, regardless of what round it was. Balogun said he accepted the decision and expected to miss the round of 16, but one day before the match, FIFA announced the suspension would not be in place against Belgium. While already controversial, the decision reached another level when President Donald Trump revealed he pushed FIFA president Gianni Infantino to reverse the suspension.With the political influence the decision may have had, Balogun said all he knew was that he wasn't going to play until he was told he could be in action with "not too much else I could say on the matter.""I had to respect this protocol. I didn't know a lot about it. As I said, I accepted the decision when I was given the red card and I accepted the decision when I was told I was allowed to play. I didn't have any involvement in the process and that's not something that has anything to do with me personally," Balogun added.Belgium's soccer federation expressed disappointment in the ruling and coach Rudi Garcia telling reporters a few hours after the decision, he "thought the World Cup was in July, not April.""It’s now April Fools," he said. "We’re not defending the national team or the federation. We’re defending football."There was wonder if there would be any animosity between any Belgium members and Balogun, but nothing egregious unfolded on the pitch. After Belgium's victory, Garcia and Balogun met and expressed nothing but praise for another. Balogun congratulated the winning coach, while Garcia appreciated the gesture and encouraged the American striker to be proud of his performance."It’s not his fault. He’s not the one to blame, and I told him that," Garcia said.Nearly every U.S. player and coach Mauricio Pochettino were asked if Trump's involvement in the decision loomed over the team since it created a firestorm that turned the attention away from what's going on the field. The idea it played a role in the dominant Belgium win was mostly dismissed, but Pochettino did say he was "frustrated and so disappointed" with the narrative."In a personal way I feel so disappointed with too many people because mixed things, because they can put politics (into it)," he said.Nancy Armour contributed to this report.
