Belgium players say Balogun saga spurred them to beat USA

Belgium players say Balogun saga spurred them to beat USA Belgium’s emphatic 4-1 victory over the United States this Monday (6), in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was marked by the episode involving the reversal of a red card for a U.S. player after a request from Donald Trump. And players from the European side admitted that FIFA’s decision to clear forward Folarin Balogun — who was supposed to serve a suspension after being sent off against Bosnia — ended up motivating the Belgians on the pitch. 📸 Michael Steele - 2026 Getty Images For midfielder Youri Tielemans, one of Belgium’s standout players at this World Cup, the “Balogun Case” was the spark behind the team’s aggressive approach from the opening whistle. "I’m not going to hide it: we had a meeting when we got the news [about the clearance], and we said we would have to respond on the pitch. We really had a lot of anger and a strong desire to start the match well, something we had been lacking at the start of the tournament," Tielemans told AFP. Defensive midfielder Nicolas Raskin echoed his teammate’s feelings, criticizing how much events off the pitch had weighed on the buildup to the decisive clash. "There was a feeling of injustice within the group, and we were very eager to respond on the pitch," Raskin summed up. On the eve of the match, Belgium coach Rudi Garcia had already mocked FIFA’s stance, but after qualification, he downplayed the impact of the episode on the final result. "There were 11 U.S. players on the other side, and it didn’t matter who was on the field. [...] The win was the result of our game plan." Garcia also had a moment of empathy when he was photographed consoling Balogun after the U.S. elimination. Speaking to The New York Times , the coach explained that the initiative came from the forward himself. "He came to speak to me, and I liked that. It’s not his fault, he doesn’t deserve to be blamed for anything. I told him that," Garcia said. 📸 David Ramos - 2026 Getty Images Understanding the controversy The “Balogun Case” has become one of the biggest controversies of this World Cup, mixing football, politics, and disinformation. The sending-off Balogun was shown a red card in the previous match against Bosnia. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus issued the punishment after being called by VAR to review the forward stepping on an opponent. Disinformation Right after the match, false information began circulating in the U.S. press and on forums claiming that Raphael Claus had previously been investigated for match-fixing in Brazil. Trump’s intervention U.S. President Donald Trump then used the false allegations to question the integrity of the Brazilian referee. "That referee is a little suspicious... He made a decision that nobody could believe," Trump said, admitting that he had called FIFA to demand a "review" of the incident, which he considered a normal collision. FIFA’s decision The disciplinary committee ultimately overturned Balogun’s suspension. FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the phone call with Trump, but defended the institution, saying that "FIFA’s judicial bodies act autonomously" and that their independence must be respected. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.