Folarin Balogun became the central figure of the most notorious scandal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — even though his team lost 1:4 to Belgium in the quarterfinals, and he himself scored no goals. The story of his red card, which FIFA overturned after a phone call from President Donald Trump, turned the striker from a hero into an object of mockery and hatred, and the US team into a symbol of injustice for the rest of the world. Disqualification and suspension In the 1/16 final match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun, who had already scored three goals in the tournament and become the top scorer for the US team, received a direct red card on the 64th minute after a VAR review. Referee Rafael Claus from Brazil saw a serious foul in his collision with defender Tarek Muharemovic — he stepped on the opponent's ankle. According to FIFA rules, such a card automatically resulted in a suspension for the next match — the decisive game against Belgium. The US Soccer Federation received notification that the decision was not subject to appeal. The team had no suitable replacement for the best striker, and their chances of advancing to the quarterfinals were in jeopardy for the first time since 2002. Trump's phone call Two days before the match against Belgium, the situation changed dramatically. FIFA announced the temporary suspension of Balogun's suspension, applying a rarely used article 27 of its disciplinary code. According to this article, punishment may be replaced with a probation period of up to one year. According to world agencies, this decision was influenced by a phone call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Trump himself confirmed that he \"asked to reconsider\" the decision but did not exert pressure. He said: \"I don't think this is a breach.\" The red card was not canceled. Simply, the execution of the suspension was suspended for one year — if Balogun commits a similar offense within this ... Read more