Balogun clearance fuels Belgium’s surge in World Cup Round of 16

The decisive moment arrived when a red‑card overturn for forward Folarin Balogun, prompted by a request from Donald Trump, set the tone for Belgium’s emphatic 4‑1 victory over the United States on Monday in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The reversal, confirmed by FIFA’s disciplinary committee, gave the U.S. side a full complement of players but also ignited a fire under the Belgians. Youri Tielemans, a standout midfielder for Belgium, told AFP that the “Balogun Case” was the spark behind the team’s attitude from the opening whistle. “I’m not going to hide it: we had a meeting when we got the news of his clearance, and we said we would have to respond on the pitch,” he said, adding that the squad had been lacking a strong start earlier in the tournament. Defensive midfielder Nicolas Raskin echoed his teammate, describing a “feeling of injustice in the group” and insisting the Belgians wanted to answer it on the field. Both players highlighted the European national team’s unity after the controversy, underscoring how the incident galvanized the Belgians.

FIFA backs referee Trump called 'suspicious' over Balogun red card

Coach Rudi Garcia had mocked FIFA’s stance before the match, yet after qualification he downplayed the episode’s impact, noting that “there were 11 U.S. players on the other side, and it didn’t matter who was on the field.” He was later photographed consoling Balogun, an act he explained to the New York Times as a gesture of empathy after the striker approached him. Understand the controversy: the sending‑off Balogun received a red card in the previous match against Bosnia after Brazilian referee Raphael Claus acted on a VAR review. Shortly after the match, false claims circulated in U.S. media alleging that Claus had been investigated for match‑fixing in Brazil, a piece of misinformation that President Donald Trump amplified.

Injustice fuels Belgium’s surge as Raskin leads after Balogun ban

Trump said, “That referee is a little suspicious… He made a decision that nobody could believe,” after calling FIFA to demand a review. FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the phone call but defended the organisation, insisting its judicial bodies act autonomously. The win kept Belgium alive in the tournament, with the victory credited to the team’s game plan and the extra motivation derived from the Balogun saga. The article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence, and the original version is available in Portuguese.