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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was recently asked for his take on the controversy surrounding U.S. Men's National Team striker Folarin Balogun's suspension -Credit:Kevin Mazur, Getty Images for Global Citizen
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has now weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding U.S. Men's National Team forward Folarin Balogun.
Balogun's one-game ban for picking up a red card in the USMNT's FIFA World Cup Round of 32 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina was contentiously suspended by FIFA, with assistance from a task force spearheaded by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The decision means Balogun will be eligible to feature in the USMNT's Round of 16 showdown against Belgium on Monday night, scheduled to kick off at 8 pm ET at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.
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Balogun was shown a straight red card for his tackle on Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic -Credit:San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers, San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Amid the ensuing uproar, one journalist took to social media to question why Mamdani, a vocal politician and passionate soccer enthusiast, had yet to comment on FIFA's disputed ruling.
Politico City Hall reporter Chris Sommerfeldt posted on X, "One prominent politician who hasn't chimed in yet on the reversal of @USMNT's Folarin Balogun's 1-game suspension: Mayor Zohran Mamdani."
"Before the suspension was reversed, tho, Mamdani said on his 'Morning Pitch' stream yesterday that Balogun was 'cruelly' given a red card."
Two hours later, Mamdani responded to the post with a GIF of celebrated soccer manager Jose Mourinho saying, "I prefer really not to speak. If I speak - big trouble. Big trouble. I don't want to be in big trouble," as per The Mirror US.
While the NYC mayor kept his views private, it's evident he wasn't eager to wade into controversy, particularly after Trump caused a stir on Monday morning with a tirade about the initial red card ruling and his role in FIFA's about-face.
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As a follower of the USMNT, Mamdani presumably wants Balogun, the squad's leading scorer with three goals thus far at the World Cup, available for selection against Belgium.
If he expressed that sentiment, however, he would be backing a deeply contentious decision that has transcended athletics and entered worldwide political conversation. Therefore, his reluctance to share his genuine position, as it would undoubtedly prove polarizing.
Mamdani shares a personal connection with Balogun, too. The NYC mayor is a passionate supporter of English club Arsenal, where Balogun previously played before moving to French side AS Monaco.
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