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Credit: Wake Up Barstool
The United States Men’s National Team was preparing to face Belgium in the round of 16 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup without the services of its top goal scorer, Folarin Balogun, after he was assessed a red card in the 64th minute of the USMNT’s round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, on Sunday, FIFA announced that Balogun’s one-game suspension would be deferred, allowing him to take the pitch against Belgium on Monday.
“The FIFA disciplinary committee has imposed the following sanction on United States national-team player Folarin Balogun, who was sent off as a result of a direct red card during the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina played on 1 July 2026 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium: One-match suspension for breaches of articles 14 and 66 of the FIFA disciplinary code (FDC),” FIFA wrote in a statement per The Athletic.
“In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
“That wasn’t even an infraction.”
On Monday, United States President Donald Trump confirmed that he was a part of the decision to get Balogun reinstated.
“I saw the play, and I’m a person that loves sports … that wasn’t a foul,” Trump said. “That wasn’t even an infraction … this referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past. He made a call that nobody could believe … he’s our best player, or one of our best players. And he gave him a red card. I didn’t know what that meant … yes, I asked for a review by FIFA.”
“I want you out of the country.”
However, as important as Balogun is to the USMNT, many people, even some fans of the squad, feel that Balogun being cleared to play points toward corruption at the highest levels of FIFA. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy is not one of them, and he’s making it crystal clear how he feels about anyone who isn’t supporting the national team fully.
It was the right call,” Portnoy said of Balogun’s reinstatement.
“I don’t know people’s politics. If you are against this and you’re a United States citizen, deported. I want you out of the country. If you have a problem with this guy playing because you’re letting politics get in the way and you don’t like Trump, played, placed a phone call, and you think this is wrong, deported. I want you on the first bus, plane, train. See ya. Go live somewhere else. This is about winning soccer.”
The USMNT, Balogun included, will face Belgium at 8:00 p.m. EST on Monday. Only time will tell if his reinstatement is worth the controversy, or if the President would have been better off leaving things alone.
The post ‘You should be deported’: Dave Portnoy does not hold back on fans who don’t support USMNT appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
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