US coach Mauricio Pochettino has defended Folarin Balogun after the striker received a straight red card for an accidental studs-up clash on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic during their FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 match.
Despite the dismissal, the US team held on to secure a 2-0 victory and advance to the last 16.
Read Also:World Cup 2026: I’ve No Regrets Coming Out Of Retirement To Represent Germany –Neuer
Reacting after the game, Pochettino strongly disputed the VAR decision, calling it a normal football action and stating it was never a red card because the contact was purely accidental.
“Never was this a red card. Watching it on TV, never was there intention to step (on) the player,” he told the post-match press conference.
“That was a normal action in football. That happened by accident and it’s never intentional. That is why for me it was never a red card.
“But he’s also happy because we qualified… He needs to understand that this type of situation happens.
“I hope that, for sure, he is going to be able to help us again. I hope that we go to the next round.”
Read Also:World Cup 2026: Well Deserved Victory –Tuchel Hails England Win Against DR Congo
While US national team officials explored the possibility of an appeal, FIFA regulations do not permit the challenging of World Cup red cards, meaning Balogun will be unavailable for the USA’s next match against Belgium.
Balogun, who was born in New York but raised in England and now plays for French club Monaco, has netted three times for the US this World Cup, after his brace in the opener against Paraguay.
He is only two behind Landon Donovan’s all-time US record of five World Cup goals.
