Star US striker Folarin Balogun admitted he’s not surprised the decision to let him defy his red-card suspension was so “controversial,” as he accepted he and his teammates let down fans with their crushing loss against Belgium.
Balogun addressed the fury FIFA’s decision sparked for the first time soon after the politically charged decision to let him play gave no help as he failed to make a mark as USA crashed out of the World Cup with 4-1 loss against Belgium.
“When you’re given a red card, usually the protocol is you don’t play in the following game,” the New York-born striker told reporters in Seattle Monday of his dismissal from the previous round against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“Then, when that decision’s overturned, of course, it’s going to be controversial,” he conceded.
Balogun, 25, said the outcry over the decision to change the red-card suspension for the first time at a World Cup since 1962 “didn’t really surprise” him.
“But as a player my job is just to go out there and focus on my job. And I’m disappointed we weren’t able to win today,” he said.
“There’s not too much else I can really say on the matter. All that being said, Belgium were the better team today. They played much better than us.”
Balogun — a former Arsenal youth prodigy who plays club soccer for French side Monaco — was unable to add to his World Cup tally of three goals.
“Today we didn’t give the crowd a lot to cheer for,” he admitted of the weak performance.
“That’s the most disappointing thing, and that’s the part that hurts the most for me personally.
“To not have the energy in a round of 16 World Cup game, it’s difficult to explain. So I can only tell you my emotions, which are disappointment and a lot of sadness.”
The USMNT has not managed to clear the round of 16 hurdle since the 2002 edition, where it reached the quarter-finals.
But the build-up to the game was overshadowed by the Balogun controversy.
President Trump claimed he asked FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review the red card.
UEFA — Europe’s governing soccer body — claimed FIFA “crossed a red line” as it slammed the decision to overturn Balogun’s red card.
“When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined,” UEFA said.
