AS Monaco of France striker, Folarin Balogun is reflecting on the days of agony he faced, after getting a straight red card while playing for USA versus Bosnia-Herzegovina at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, Sports247 reports.
READ ALSO: Folarin Balogun’s Red Card During USA’s Round Of 32 World Cup Victory Over Bosnia Raises Eyebrows
Just before FIFA eventually cleared him to play USA’s round of 16 clash with Belgium, Balogun admitted he was agonising from the red card he got during his last match for the USMNT, but admitted he just has to move on.
The Nigerian-born former Arsenal of England attacker took another look at the incident that led to his dismissal in USA’s 2-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and reckoned that a yellow card would have been enough punishment for him, considering that he did not step on the opponent intentionally.
Balogun gained lots of sympathy after his dismissal in the 64th minute during the round of 32 victory, as he first had a goal ruled out for offside, then opened scoring before halftime, but was later sent off via a straight red card after a video assistant referee (VAR) review spotted his stamp on Bosnia defender, Tarik Muharemović.
The decision left 25-year-old Balogun facing up to his plight, as he went sulking all through his birthday on Friday, with the dark-skinned hitman coming to grips with his ill fotune, until good news came his way on Sunday evening.
“If you’ve played the game, you would understand there are scenarios you simply can’t avoid, and it has to be taken into context when it’s being reviewed.
“I felt it wasn’t on this occasion. As you all saw, there’s nowhere else to put your leg. It’s going to be unavoidable. A yellow card would have been fair. It’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward, and I have to accept it.”
Sports247 recalls that Balogun, who was born to Nigerian parents in Brooklyn, New York, began his career at Arsenal’s academy, but appeared sparingly for The Gunners’ senior team, until he was sent on loan to Middlesbrough in 2022.
The following season, Balogun got his breakthrough while on loan at Reims of France, where he scored 22 goals in his first season, the highest ever for an American player in a top-five European league, following which he officially left Arsenal in August 2023 and signed with Monaco for €40m ($43m).
Balogun, who was named Monaco’s 2025/26 Player of The Season, represented United States and England at youth international level, but decided in May 2023 to commit his future with America’s senior national team.
He got his USMNT debut in June 2023, and went on to score his first goal for the squad in the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League, which he helped the Americans win in grand style.
Unfortunately, Balogun’s biggest setback yet in US colours came last Wednesday, after he scored his team’s third goal of the tournament to give them a half-time lead against Bosnia.
Early in the second half, though, he was red-carded following a video review of an incident that did not initially warrant discipline from referee Raphael Claus, after Balogun stepped in normal motion on the back of Muharemović’s lower right leg.
The video assistant referee recommended that Claus review the play and, moments later, he announced that it warranted the red card, but FIFA has now overruled the decision, after USA’s coach, Mauricio Pochettino described it as ‘a normal action that happened by accident and never a red card.’
