‘I can only speak the truth’

Folarin Balogun has acknowledged the “controversial” circumstances surrounding his exit from the USA’s 2026 World Cup after the hosts were beaten 4-1 by Belgium in the last 16 on Tuesday.

Striker Balogun was suspended for one match for a red card in their previous game and suspended for 12 months by tournament organizers FIFA, who have faced widespread criticism and questions about their integrity and independence after US president Donald Trump said he had asked them to review the 25-year-old’s ban.

“I accepted the decision with the red card and I also accepted the decision when I was told I could play,” said Balogun, who scored three goals for his team in the final and started the game before being sent off in the second half.

“There’s not much else I can say about this matter. As a player, my job is to go out there and focus.”

USA vs Belgium: Balogun ‘injured’ out of World Cup

Belgian politicians criticized the decision to form a tie, while European governing body UEFA warned that “the integrity of the game is at risk and the integrity of the competition is undermined” when “the validity of the rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians”.

The Red Devils used the unprecedented conversion as a powerful form of motivation, with midfielder Nicolas Raskin describing a “feeling of injustice” afterwards and captain Youri Tielemans indicating the team felt “we have to respond on the pitch”.

Many Belgian players did a ritual similar to the ‘Trump dance’ – used by the billionaire during his 2024 US presidential campaign – after the last goal of the game and the national team’s official Instagram account celebrated with a humorous invitation to “change this result”.

“Belgium was much better than us,” said Monaco’s Balogun. “It’s hard to say, but I’m telling the truth.

“We played well in other games, we were very intense and we were able to generate momentum with the crowd. [against Belgium].

“That’s the most disappointing thing and the most painful part, we have to wait four years to be in this position and that’s a hurtful thing.”

Donald Trump: What did the president say about Balogun

Speaking on Monday, Trump said he spoke to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for a review of Balogun’s ban but did not tell the Swiss what steps to take.

Arsenal academy product Balogun was sent off in the second half of the USA’s meeting with Bosnia and Herzegovina, as he put his foot on opposition player Tarik Muharemovic in what appeared to be a mistake but badly bent the defender’s ankle.

“If the goal is to hurt the enemy, it’s fine, I understand,” assessed head coach Mauricio Pochettino at the time.

“But it didn’t happen like that, because it’s a common practice in football that you fight for the ball and your feet stay on the ground.

“That was probably a difficult scene to watch, but it was not intentional. For me, that action was not a red card.

Trump argued that the incident was not serious, saying that FIFA “made the right decision” with the punishment that would have left a “huge stain” on the tournament if it had been carried out during the finals.

He called referee Raphael Claus “a bit suspect” and described the official’s conclusion about the “bad” challenge.

The Brazilian football federation responded that Claus is an “exemplary professional” with “nothing in his history that degrades him or gives grounds for any suspicion”.

World Cup 2026: How Infantino responded

Infantion issued a statement saying he told Trump during the phone call that there is “an ongoing legal process involving independent bodies of FIFA and that the case will be decided later by the appropriate bodies”.

The Swiss reiterated (via BBC Sport) that FIFA’s judging panels are “independent” and the decisions “must always be respected”.

“I have read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they were issued,” said Infantino. Sometimes they surprise me, sometimes I agree with them and sometimes I don’t.

“What I always do is to respect those decisions and the independence of the bodies that make them, whether we like or dislike the decision is not important.

“Respect for independent institutions and the law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and FIFA’s credibility at all times.”

The Belgian FA said they were “surprised” and contested Balogun’s eligibility, although FIFA’s appeals committee ruled their appeal inadmissible because they were not involved in the original decision and were only opponents of the USA, rather than “part of the case”.

Why FIFA said the World Cup decision was ‘limited’

FIFA also issued a statement in which the chairman of its disciplinary committee, Mohammad al-Kamali, explained that his panel was “independent as provided for by the FIFA rules and the FIFA disciplinary code”.

“Chairmen, vice-chairmen and other members of FIFA’s judging panels fulfill the criteria of independence as defined in FIFA’s administrative rules to ensure their impartiality,” said Al-Kamali.

“Secondly, the FIFA disciplinary committee did not revoke the dismissal of the referee Balogun… on the contrary, the FIFA disciplinary committee approved the suspension of Mr. Balogun for one match due to the red card he was given on July 1, 2026.

“Reviewing the legal consequences of red cards in football is nothing new in the modern game.

“For example, for many top-level clubs that are members of UEFA member associations, the dismissal of red cards is a common disciplinary action, but this has never raised concerns about crossing any ‘red line’.

“And again, it should be emphasized that in the considered decision, the red card was not overturned.

“Stopping red card consequences based on clear provisions of the applicable laws is a very balanced step.”

World Cup 2026: USA players ‘surprised’ by FIFA decision

Tyler Adams from the USA said that the suspension of the ban “surprised us very much” as it happened to the news channels.

“To be honest, we got it at the same time as you,” added the Bournemouth midfielder.

“I didn’t even know there was a complaint…we didn’t know anything about that. I don’t think that noise affected us in any way. If anything, maybe it helped lift us up somehow.”

Here’s how the group winners and USA results look at the 2026 World Cup.