Folarin Balogun’s availability for the United States’ World Cup clash with Belgium on Monday night remains in doubt after a dispute over his overturned red card escalated following Donald Trump’s intervention.
Belgian soccer officials, angered by FIFA’s decision to clear the USA striker, have been given permission to appeal the ruling. While it is not yet certain that Balogun’s suspension will be reinstated, a decision could still arrive before Monday’s match in Seattle.
The United States and Belgium have both been asked to submit information related to the appeal by 5am PST on Monday. Kickoff is scheduled for 5pm PST, and a member of FIFA’s appeals committee has been appointed to consider the case.
Balogun, who leads the USA in scoring at the tournament with three goals, was shown a straight red card during the Americans’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32. The decision was widely questioned at the time, but it initially meant he would miss the team’s next match through suspension.
Sources have since told the Daily Mail that President Trump raised the matter directly with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, calling him “to better understand the reason why a red card was given and why there was a suspension.”
According to the same source, the “US government provided additional evidence that was used in the appeal process.”
Belgium have appealed in an effort to have USA striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension reinstated for their last-16 match
Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and later thanked the organization for “reversing a great injustice”
FIFA then announced on Sunday that it had suspended Balogun’s ban for a one-year ‘probationary’ period, wiping it out unless he commits another offence of ‘similar nature and gravity’.
After FIFA kicked back Balogun’s ban, Trump, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino last year, wrote on Truth Social: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’
Infantino was sat next to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick during the game where Balogun was sent off in the San Francisco Bay.
‘We celebrate that decision,’ USA manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Sunday. ‘This is good for football, to celebrate [that] in the next game if an unfair thing happens you can reverse the decision.’
But now, his plans are potentially in chaos if his star man is ruled out once again just hours before the game starts.
Ironically, Balogun qualifies to play for the United States due to ‘birthright citizenship’ – a rule Trump was wanted to overturn.
His heavily pregnant mother was stopped from boarding a flight out of the United States when she was heavily pregnant and Balogun was then born in Brooklyn, New York.
Belgium soccer bosses hit out at the unprecedented move in an angry statement, saying it was astonished’. Its coach, Rudi Garcia, added: ‘I didn’t know that at the World Cup, July 5th is now April 1st – April Fool’s Day. We’re defending football and its ethics.’
Infantino was sat next to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in the last USA game
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Balogun was sent off for a tackle during their 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina
Trump praised FIFA for ‘reversing a great injustice’ when Balogun’s ban was revoked
They were backed up by European soccer’s governing body UEFA, who went to war with FIFA with a blistering statement of their own.
‘When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined,’ UEFA said.
‘Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere with the same laws.
‘We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.’
Balogun was sent off in the second half of the win against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the San Francisco Bay after a tangle of legs with opposition defender Tarik Muharemovic.
The United States striker’s leg raked down Muharemovic’s calf while he was struggling balance and jostling to win possession of the ball.
Balogun, who had scored earlier in the game, was shown a red card after the referee watched the incident back in slow motion on a video replay, deciding the USA man was guilty of serious foul play.
Trump is expected to attend the World Cup final and hand the trophy to the winner on July 19
The United States are trying to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2002 by beating Belgium, with many considering Monday night’s game the biggest ever in US soccer.
If Balogun was to now miss the game, Ricardo Pepi would be expected to start in his place.
Trump is not expected to attend. Despite going to multiple major US sporting events since beginning his second term as President, he has not made it to a World Cup game yet.
He is, however, set to attend the final on July 19 with Infantino saying recently that he and Trump will hand the trophy over to the winner ‘together’.
Infantino, speaking to Fox before Trump’s call about Balogun’s red card, said: ‘We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together.’
