Folarin Balogun will miss the USMNT’s Round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday night. That is the bad news. The good news is that FIFA confirmed his suspension is only for one game, which means if the Americans advance, their top scorer will be back for the quarterfinals.
FIFA’s decision on Friday put an end to the speculation. According to insider Tom Bogert, the governing body decided not to tack on any additional games to the red card Balogun received against Bosnia. So the U.S. will have to navigate this knockout match without him. But just one game. That is a manageable blow.
That red card probably should not have been a red card
The whole thing feels a little ridiculous when you look at how the play went down. Balogun made contact with a Bosnian player, sure. But was it intentional? Did it warrant an early shower? A lot of people, including Dirk Nowitzki, don’t think so. Nowitzki made his opinion pretty clear online: Balogun did not deserve a red card.
If you check FIFA’s own VAR guidelines, the rules actually suggest the referee got this one wrong. The rules state that slow motion replays should only be used for facts like the point of contact or ball position. But for judging the intensity of an offense, normal speed is the standard. And at normal speed, Balogun’s challenge looks a lot less malicious. It looks more like a player trying to win a ball and making awkward contact.
Social media has been all over this. Fans are frustrated. Analysts are confused. But the decision is made. The U.S. has to deal with it.
Can the U.S. win without Balogun?
Yes. They absolutely can. This is not the same USMNT that lost to the Netherlands in 2022 or fell short against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup. Tim Howard put on a legendary performance that day with 16 saves, but that team relied on him way too much. This team has more depth. More attacking options. And they are playing two days after Independence Day, which feels like a good omen for a gritty win.
Balogun is the team’s top scorer. That is not nothing. But the U.S. has players who can step up. Christian Pulisic has been playing with confidence. Gio Reyna can create chances out of nothing. Weston McKennie has that knack for popping up in the right spot. It will not be easy. Belgium is a real team with real talent. But the U.S. does not need to be perfect. They just need to be good enough for 90 minutes.
If they get past Belgium, Balogun comes back. And that is when things get interesting.
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