Balogun Admits Trump’s Intervention Increased Pressure on US World Cup Team

United States forward Folarin Balogun has admitted that President Donald Trump’s intervention to secure the suspension of his World Cup red card created additional pressure for the American team during the tournament.

Balogun made the remarks in an interview with CBS on Tuesday while reflecting on the controversial incident that unfolded during the group stage of the FIFA World Cup.

The striker was shown a red card after appearing to tread on the foot of a Bosnia and Herzegovina defender during the United States’ 2-0 victory in their final group-stage match.

Describing his reaction to the dismissal, Balogun said he was “definitely in shock,” insisting the challenge was accidental and did not deserve a sending-off.

“When something is not intentional it should never be a red card,” he said.

Days before the United States’ Round of 16 clash against Belgium, FIFA announced that the suspension linked to the red card had been lifted, making Balogun available for selection.

Shortly afterwards, President Trump publicly revealed that he had contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the decision, a disclosure that attracted widespread attention and sparked debate within football circles.

Balogun admitted that although he was pleased to return to the squad, the political attention surrounding the decision made preparations for the knockout fixture more difficult.

“My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team, but when I started to reflect on it, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy,” he said.

The Arsenal-born forward added that the situation appeared to affect the mood within the squad ahead of the crucial encounter.

“I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it’s something that’s so unique,” Balogun explained.

According to him, the increasing media attention and public debate generated significant distractions in the days leading up to the match.

“The closer it got to the game, I just tried to focus as best as I could. It was difficult, there was a lot of outside noise, and that’s hard to avoid,” he added.

The United States eventually suffered a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16, ending their World Cup campaign, with Balogun starting the match but making little impact as the Americans exited the tournament.