US forward Folarin Balogun said his red card in the last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina was a harsh decision but quickly turned his attention to contributing as a cheerleader for his side’s match against Belgium.
He scored his third goal of the World Cup to give the US an early lead against Bosnia on Wednesday, but was sent off in the second half after landing on the ankle of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic in an eventful match for the Monaco forward.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino criticized the red for what he described as accidental contact and Balogun echoed that view, calling the incident inevitable.
Balogun had mixed feelings in the aftermath, describing NBA great LeBron James’ reaction to his celebration as «a surreal moment» tempered by the knowledge he was suspended for Monday’s last-16 match against Belgium.
«It’s been a rollercoaster, there’s been a lot of different emotions,» he told reporters before Friday’s practice, which started with Pochettino getting baseball tips before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Seattle Mariners game later in the day. “I’ve been sad, I’ve been happy, it’s been surreal to be honest,” Balogun said. «It’s important for me to say firstly that it was completely unintentional, which I’m sure a lot of people know. I don’t think it was the right decision. I think a yellow card would have been fair.»
However, Balogun insisted he had a role to play in the next match even if he could not be on the field.
“Just to support the guys, to support the team,” he said. “I think it’s great to see how involved the country is in our journey and what we’re doing. I think my role is to continue to support everyone, to keep morale high.” The American team showed up in good spirits at practice and headed to a nearby baseball field for a relaxed game, with defenseman Tim Ream impressing at the plate.
Published on July 4, 2026
