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FIFA added some drama to Monday night’s showdown between the United States and Belgium in the 2026 World Cup when it announced that USMNT star striker Folarin Balogun would be eligible to play in the match despite his red card in the previous match.
The decision has sparked widespread outrage from the soccer and sports community, especially after United States President Donald Trump got involved by calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request that FIFA review the decision. Now, some high-profile Americans are going as far as to root for Belgium over the United States in Monday night’s match.
Folarin Balogun Controversy
During last week’s victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun was issued a red card by VAR after stepping on an opponent’s leg while jostling for positioning on an incoming ball.
As a result of the foul, Balogun was sent off, meaning the United States had to play the remainder of the match without him. More than that, a red card carries an automatic suspension for the next game, too.
However, in a highly unusual move, FIFA announced on Sunday that his punishment for the red card had been suspended. FIFA cited Article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, which FIFA also used to reverse a two-match suspension for Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo before the beginning of the World Cup.
The rather unprecedented move sparked widespread outrage throughout the soccer community, especially after it was reported that Trump called Infantino to request a review of the foul. However, both Trump and Infantino have insisted that the call did not impact FIFA’s decision.
“All I did, I asked for a review, cause I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said during a press conference on Monday via Yahoo. “I didn’t tell them what to do, I can’t tell them what to do. … I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision.”
Americans Root Against the United States
As a result of FIFA’s controversial decision and Trump’s apparent involvement, a number of Americans have taken to social media to claim they will now be rooting for Belgium over the United States in Monday night’s match.
Among those claiming to be rooting for Belgium are several prominent high-profile individuals with massive followings and reach.
“While many of you are likely yelling ‘GO AMERICA’ I’m yelling ‘GO BELGIUM and the rule of law!'” prominent political commentator Brian Krassenstein wrote in a post on X, where he has nearly 1 million followers.
“This is an absolute embarrassment to the United States. Once again our President embarrasses our nation on the world stage and now takes to social media, boosting that his phone call to FIFA changed the outcome,” prominent,” prominent American speaker Cyrus Janssen who has more than 1 million subscribers on Y0uTube wrote in a post on X. “Absolutely horrible precedent being set here. As a US citizen I will be routing for Belgium to win this game. Not because I don’t love my country, but as a lifelong professional sportsman that has dedicated his career to growing sport around the world. I’ve always taught the importance of integrity and sadly the US has proven to the world we have absolutely none. Shameful.”
“I’m a U.S. citizen who will be rooting for Belgium tonight. Probably just me,” wrote Claude Taylor, who was a White House staffer during the Bill Clinton administration.
“I’m an American and not unpatriotic, but I still want Belgium to wipe the floor with the US squad today because having your daddy bully the coach into letting you cheat and then getting flattened anyway is objectively a very funny outcome,” wrote Jeffery Sachs, a prominent political scientist, historian, and professor with more than 100,000 followers on X.
Needless to say, there has been a strong reaction against the suspension of Balogun’s punishment, particularly after Trump’s involvement. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy spoke out against any American claiming to support Belgium over the United States, saying those people “should be deported.”
The post ‘Go Belgium and the rule of law’: Americans root against United States after Donald Trump’s involvement appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
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