‘It’s been surreal’: USMNT’s Folarin Balogun moves on from controversial red card

Folarin Balogun fielded questions on the morning of his 25th birthday, though the cards being discussed weren’t filled with kind notes and two-dollar bills.

Per Fifa rules, the striker was unable to speak to the media following the United States’ World Cup last-32 triumph over Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he opened the scoring in a commanding 2-0 win but was sent off after receiving a red card in the second half.

As the clouds parted over Seattle on Friday to start the team’s second set of training days in the Pacific north-west, Balogun seemed to be closer to making peace with his certain absence for the last 16 against Belgium, even if he stopped short of validating the red card. A US Soccer spokesperson confirmed that Balogun is suspended for only the one match, with no additional games to be served.

“I’ve been upset. I’ve been happy,” Balogun said of his past 36 hours. “It’s been surreal, to be honest. But for me, I think it was just important to stay calm. I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion. There’s still lots of people we’re inspiring, little kids, boys and girls who are watching, and we have to show them the correct way to handle things, even when you think it’s unjust.”

Balogun said he still made a point of shaking referee Raphael Claus’s hand after the match despite believing the decision was wrong, saying it was important to set the right example for supporters watching the tournament, many of whom may be experiencing the World Cup for the first time.

“Even though you can feel like something unjust has happened to you, it’s not an excuse to be disrespectful,” Balogun said. “After every game, I try to shake the referee’s hand, and this game was no different.”

Balogun’s red card has become something of a mainstream moment in American sports. While some nuances like VAR and pressing triggers are still novel to the crowd who drift into the sport’s orbit during a World Cup, an ejection perceived as unjust becomes a galvanizing lightning rod with considerable pull.

On Balogun’s post-match Instagram post, the top commenters included several brands trying to farm engagement, including the Merriam-Webster dictionary. ESPN host Pat McAfee dropped a “FreeBalogun” hashtag. NFL quarterbacks Mac Jones and Lamar Jackson sent similar messages. If anything, the send-off seems to have given both the USMNT‘s diehards and more passive drifters a rallying point ahead of Monday’s match against Belgium.

“I love seeing how engaged the country is in our journey and in what we’re doing,” Balogun affirmed.

Asked to give his account of the sequence – a seemingly innocent collision with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic in which the striker’s foot landed on his opponent’s ankle – Balogun struggled to find a way to justify the severity of the punishment.

“I think for me it’s important to be fair even when I’m giving my opinion on things,” he said. “If you’ve played the game, you would understand there’s scenarios that you simply can’t avoid and it has to be taken into context when it’s being reviewed. I felt [that context] wasn’t [considered] on this occasion.

“I think as you all saw, there’s nowhere else to put your leg. It’s going to be unavoidable. I’ve seen many different opinions and takes, but for me personally, I think a yellow card would have been fair. It’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward and have to accept it. But the most important thing is just to focus on the bigger picture, which is Belgium.”

Rudi Garcia’s side will no doubt breathe a sigh of collective relief at not having to face the US’s most incisive finisher. Belgium struggled to contend with Senegal for large portions of their last-32 clash on Wednesday, and they struggled against decisive target strikers earlier in the group stage.

In the coming days, Mauricio Pochettino will sort how to keep Belgium on their back foot whenever possible. The nature of Garcia’s system means the Red Devils will be looking to keep a healthier share of the ball than at least three of the US’s first four opponents in this World Cup, making transition sequences even more important. Without their usual spearhead, the US will have to determine how those sequences end will finish.

“Obviously, things change a little bit, but we’ve been flexible,” said midfielder Tyler Adams, whose role will certainly remain far afield from center-forward spaces. “Guys have shown that they’re ready to play. If it’s [Ricardo] Pepi, if it’s Haji [Wright], if they go a different direction, who knows? I’m not the coach. But yeah, it should be an exciting opportunity for whoever has to step up.”