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Folarin Balogun’s teammates came to his defense after the American World Cup star was shown a red card during the team’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night.
Balogun received the red card after stepping on defender Tarik Muharemovic’s right ankle. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus only gave Balogun the card after a VAR review. The red card meant that Balogun will not be able to play in the team’s Round of 16 match against Belgium.
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USA’s Folarin Balogun, right, stands ready after being shown a red card by referee Raphael Claus of Brazil as USA’s Weston McKennie (8) looks on during the World Cup final round of 32 soccer match between the USA and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A FIFA official told The Athletic that a team cannot appeal the red card or the suspension. The official pointed to a section of the organization’s rules and regulations, which states: “A sending off carries an automatic suspension from the following match. FIFA’s judicial bodies may impose further match suspensions and other disciplinary measures.”
Balogun’s teammate Weston McKennie called the lack of an appeals process “bogus” and disagreed with the referee’s decision to issue the red card.
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Bosnia’s Sead Kolasinac (5) talks with USA’s Folarin Balogun after Balogun was sent off as Christian Pulisic (10) watches during the World Cup round of 16 match between the USA and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Julio Cortez/AP)
“Obviously the referee made a decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable,” McKennie said. “I think there have been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that weren’t given a card at all. It’s disappointing.”
US coach Mauricio Pochettino said Balogun’s action was “never deliberate.”
“It’s never a red card. Never… If the intention is to hurt the opponent, okay, I understand that. But it never was. It was a normal action in football that you fight for the ball and your feet land,” he said.
Balogun is the third player to score in a World Cup knockout match and be sent off. He follows Brazil’s Ronaldinho in the 2002 quarter-final match against England and France’s Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.
Referee Raphael Claus of Brazil shows a red card to USA’s Folarin Balogun, right, during the World Cup Round of 32 soccer match between the USA and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
It is the fifth red card given to an American in the squad’s World Cup history.
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Eric Wynalda received one against Czechoslovakia in 1990, Fernando Clavijo got one against Brazil in 1994 and Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope each received one against Italy in 2006.
