Dave Portnoy beat the world to the news that Folarin Balogun would play against Belgium. The Athletic’s Adam Crafton eventually reported that FIFA lifted the red card suspension. But Portnoy, the Barstool Sports founder, had already posted it on X earlier in the day.
“Bookmark this tweet. Davey Pitch’s futbul sources are saying a certain red card may be soon overturned,” Portnoy wrote. Then he hedged a bit, adding, “Don’t quote me if im wrong though.” He wasn’t wrong.
Balogun got sent off in the Round of 32. Everyone on the USMNT figured he’d miss the Round of 16 against Belgium. There’s no formal appeal process for the U.S. in this tournament, so the assumption was he’d sit. Then FIFA stepped in and wiped the suspension. Portnoy had the scoop before anyone with a press credential.
After the reversal became official, Portnoy posted a video to make sure nobody forgot who called it first. “I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so,” he said. “Everyone’s like ‘Oh Prez, you’re not a soccer guy, you don’t understand the red card. You don’t understand, he’s gone, nothing can change that.’ I said, shut up and listen. I operate on an intergalactic, international level that most people don’t even know is possible.”
He kept going. “I know everything that happened. I know every move that was made to get Balogun back on the field. You think we’re going to let this guy sit out with a red card on our home turf on a bulls*** call, not on my watch. Not today, my friends.”
This isn’t the first time a World Cup suspension got overturned. Cristiano Ronaldo had one wiped before this tournament too. That doesn’t make it any less weird when it happens mid-tournament to a host nation’s striker on a red card that looked soft in real time.
Nobody outside of Portnoy’s orbit seems to know exactly who his sources are. He didn’t name names. But he nailed the timing, and FIFA confirmed it later. That’s enough for the guy who turned a sports blog into a media empire to claim a win.
Balogun will be on the field Monday night when the USMNT faces Belgium. Whether Portnoy’s intel actually swayed anything is debatable. But he got there first, and he’s not letting anyone forget it.
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