Folarin Balogun, the US men’s national team striker at the center of one of the most bizarre political interventions in World Cup history, says the controversy surrounding President Trump’s push to reverse his red card created distractions that contributed to the team’s tournament exit.
The red card heard around the world
Balogun received a red card on July 1 during the US match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which would have suspended him for a critical upcoming game against Belgium. Trump began personally lobbying FIFA President Gianni Infantino to have the ban lifted on July 2 and 3. By July 5, FIFA invoked Article 27, a rarely used provision, to overturn Balogun’s suspension and replace it with a one-year probation. The striker was cleared to play.
“My initial reaction was, you know, I was happy to be back in the team,” Balogun said, while acknowledging that the “outside noise” surrounding the entire episode made it difficult for the squad to maintain focus during an already grueling World Cup campaign.
Crypto markets didn’t miss a beat
