Belgium’s dominant 4-1 win over the United States on Monday (6) in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was highlighted by the controversial reversal of a red card for U.S. player Folarin Balogun, reportedly influenced by a call from Donald Trump.
Members of the Belgian national team acknowledged that the decision to clear Balogun—who had been sent off in a previous match against Bosnia—added fuel to their motivation on the field.
📸 Michael Steele – 2026 Getty Images
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For midfielder Youri Tielemans, a key player for Belgium this World Cup, the “Balogun Case” galvanized the team’s focus right from the start of the match.
“I won’t deny it: we had a meeting after we heard the news [about his clearance], and we agreed we had to show our response on the pitch. There was a lot of pent-up frustration, and we wanted to start strong, which we had struggled to do earlier in the tournament,” Tielemans shared with AFP.
Defensive midfielder Nicolas Raskin echoed Tielemans’ sentiments, expressing dissatisfaction with how off-field events influenced the atmosphere leading up to the crucial game.
“There was a sense of injustice in our group, and we were truly eager to respond on the field,” Raskin remarked.
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On the eve of the game, Belgium’s coach Rudi Garcia had already ridiculed FIFA’s position but later downplayed the incident’s impact on the game’s outcome.
“There were 11 U.S. players on the other side, and we focused on our own game plan,” he stated.
Garcia also showed compassion by comforting Balogun after the U.S. team’s elimination.
In a conversation with The New York Times, he revealed that the interaction was initiated by Balogun himself.
“He came to talk to me, which I appreciated. It’s not his fault, and he shouldn’t bear any blame,” Garcia said.
📸 David Ramos – 2026 Getty Images
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Understanding the Controversy
The “Balogun Case” has emerged as one of the most contentious issues of this World Cup, intertwining football with misinformation.
The Sending-off
Balogun received a red card in a previous game against Bosnia, after Brazilian referee Raphael Claus consulted VAR regarding the striker’s foul.
Misinformation
Trump’s Intervention
U.S. President Donald Trump leveraged the false allegations to question the Brazilian referee’s integrity.
“That referee seems a bit suspect… He made a decision that was hard to believe,” Trump stated, noting that he had contacted FIFA to request a “review” of what he described as a routine collision.
FIFA’s Decision
Ultimately, Balogun’s suspension was lifted by the disciplinary committee. FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, confirmed his phone call with Trump but defended the organization, asserting that “FIFA’s judicial bodies operate independently” and that their autonomy should be upheld.
This article has been translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.