Folarin Balogun was supposed to sit out the USMNT’s Round of 16 matchup against Belgium. FIFA had other plans. And now the internet is having a field day with the referee who originally sent him off.
The governing body overturned Balogun’s red card from the Round of 32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, clearing him to play Monday night. That decision alone would have been enough to get fans talking. But the way people are reacting to it — specifically, the meme they’re using to troll the match official — has taken on a life of its own.
The Uno reverse card. If you’ve been anywhere near sports Twitter this week, you’ve seen it. Fans are posting the iconic red-and-yellow card alongside clips of the original red card decision, basically saying “nah, you’re the one getting sent off now.”
SOCCER @USMNT UNO REVERSE pic.twitter.com/nTiFKCgREo — The Old Taylor (not actually Taylor Swift) (@The_Old_Taylor) July 5, 2026
It’s coming home 🇺🇸 #America250 pic.twitter.com/rRYG6QgO1z — Jack Settleman (@jacksettleman) July 5, 2026
The meme itself has been floating around for years. It got a big boost in 2023 during a Sideman Charity Football Match at London Stadium, when YouTuber Max Fosh literally pulled a physical Uno reverse card from his shorts after getting a yellow card from former Premier League ref Mark Clattenburg. Clattenburg laughed it off. That was a charity game. This is the World Cup.
Balogun didn’t need to pull any stunts. FIFA reviewed the incident and decided the red card was too harsh. The reversal means the USMNT’s starting striker will be available against Belgium, which is huge for a team that has looked dangerous going forward but still needs every weapon it can get against a deep European side.
The decision got praise from fans, former players, and even President Donald Trump. But Balogun might still want to stash a reverse card in his sock. Just in case.
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