FIFA suspends Balogun's red card ban after Trump's call with Infantino

On July 1, at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Round of 32.

In the 45th minute, Balogun opened the scoring. He had already scored a brace against Paraguay in the group stage, becoming the first American to score two goals in a single World Cup match since Bert Patenaude in 1930.

A 96-year-old record, and he unearthed it in three weeks.

Then, in the 64th minute, he fouled Tarik Muharemović. The referee showed a straight red card.

A red card means an automatic one-match suspension. He would miss the Round of 16.

That should have been the end of it.

Donald Trump picked up the phone. He called FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office: "I asked for a review because I don't think it was a foul."

"I just asked for a review. I didn't say 'you have to do this.'"

He also called FIFA's decision "very wise."

The issue was never whether the red card itself was justified. ESPN later analyzed the VAR usage—the freeze-frame prompted the referee to check the monitor, "stripping the action of all context," and was criticized as a "misuse of protocol." The red card itself might not have been valid.

The issue was who had the right to ask for a "review." A country's president calling the head of an international sports organization to inquire about a disciplinary sanction against one of his players.

On July 5, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee chairman, Mohamed Kamal of the UAE, unilaterally invoked Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code to suspend Balogun's one-year ban.

According to The Times, he did not consult the other 17 members of the committee. He made the decision alone.

Article 27 allows for the suspension of a disciplinary sanction—the sanction itself remains valid but can be deferred during a one-year probation period. Vague and rarely used.

Infantino later issued a statement, saying Trump's call "in no way influenced" the committee's independent decision and that it "reached the correct and appropriate result."

Belgium was not convinced. UEFA was not convinced. The Belgian Football Association filed an appeal, which FIFA's Appeals Committee ruled "inadmissible." Rejected.

July 6. Seattle. Round of 16, USA vs. Belgium.

Balogun played.

The president made a call, FIFA invoked an obscure clause, Belgium's appeal was dismissed, global media erupted—all of it paved the way for him.

In the first half, he touched the ball 10 times.

The fewest of any player on the field.

He had 19 touches with the ball in the entire match, the lowest among both teams' starters.

The USA lost 1-4.

De Ketelaere scored in the 9th and 33rd minutes. Van Aken added a third in the 57th—the most absurd goal of all, as US goalkeeper Fries rushed out to clear the ball and passed it directly to a Belgian player. In the 90th minute of stoppage time, Lukaku scored the fourth.

After scoring, the entire Belgian team danced the YMCA.

Trump's signature dance. It wasn't improvised—the Belgian Football Association had mocked Trump on social media before the match. The players on the field just reenacted what was already online.

The USA's only goal came from Tillman in the 31st minute. Balogun scored zero. His World Cup tally remained at three—two against Paraguay in the group stage and one against Bosnia in the Round of 32.

Belgian coach Rudi Garcia said after the match that his team had won "millions and millions" of new supporters. The numbers were exaggerated, but that night, the whole world was watching.

US coach Pochettino's post-match interview sounded like someone who had lost but couldn't swallow it. He said he was "extremely frustrated and disappointed with those who should understand this situation," directly pointing to "political manipulation, ethics, and integrity."

Two days later, in Ankara, at the NATO summit.

Belgian Prime Minister De Wever was asked by reporters about the World Cup. He first said, "Believe it or not, we didn't talk about football."

Then he shifted gears: "This is a clear red card for Putin. A red card that cannot be rescinded."

Everyone in the room understood who he was referring to. A red card from a sports controversy had spilled into the geopolitical arena within 48 hours.

After the match, Balogun admitted the controversy "didn't help" but refused to use it as an excuse. He apologized on social media: "We failed to meet the standard at a critical moment."

That statement referred to the 1-4 loss.

But it could also encompass the entire affair—the president's call, FIFA bending the rules, Belgium's mocking dance, the prime minister using "red card" as diplomatic code in front of the world. And the striker, who touched the ball only 10 times in the first half.