How ‘accidental American’ Balogun ended up at crossroads of US and soccer politics

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleU.S. Men’s National Team player Folarin Balogun had his red-card suspension overturned by FIFA after President Donald Trump intervened, contacting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the penalty.Balogun, who received the red card for stepping on another player's ankle during a match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, was cleared to play in the subsequent round of 16 match against Belgium, a decision that drew criticism from the Royal Belgian Football Association and its coach.The situation highlights an irony as Balogun is a birthright citizen, a status Trump has long sought to eliminate, having been born in New York City to Nigerian parents while they visited the U.S. Balogun was granted citizenship by birth after his mother was unable to return home from a trip because she was too far advanced in her pregnancy to fly. Balogun's American citizenship is granted under the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, which provides citizenship to those born or naturalized in the U.S., alongside his U.K. and Nigerian citizenships.The president has consistently opposed birthright citizenship, previously signing an executive order to end it, which was recently struck down by the Supreme Court, and continues to advocate for congressional action to eliminate it, despite public opposition.In fullUS soccer star Trump intervened to help is a citizen by birthright - which the president wants to endMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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