The father of USA star Folarin Balogun has admitted that he’s ‘glad’ Donald Trump intervened – but says he understands why many are unhappy with the president wading into the World Cup.
Ben Balogun told the Daily Mail he didn’t like the idea of politics being brought into sport – but added with a smile: ‘I’m glad that President Trump did what he did – it’s good for America and good for the US team.’
Striker Balogun, 25, USA’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals, was given a straight red card during the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32 – a decision at the time that was criticized for being wrong.
He tangled with Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic while trying to win the ball and Balogun’s leg scraped down the ankle of his opponent.
But a moment that was, at first, met with widespread sympathy has since been transformed into a huge scandal that has erased the goodwill aimed at the World Cup hosts. Piers Morgan accused the US of ‘cheating’ on Monday before the game, even as Trump insisted that the red card was an injustice.
But retired London car dealer Ben Balogun, 66, from South Ockendon Essex, greeted the news that has outraged the world of football with a smile.
Folarin Balogun’s father has offered his take on the controversy surround the USA star – after his one-game ban was suspended by FIFA following an intervention from Donald Trump
The forward, who was sent off for this tackle, will now be available to face Belgium on Monday
Donald Trump called FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to ask him to suspend the one-match ban
Asked how he felt about the intervention of President Trump with his crony, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Ben said: ‘Of course it’s good for the USA and it’s good for Folarin.
‘I didn’t think it should have been a red card offense, and obviously FIFA agree. We don’t know that it was Donald Trump’s intervention which reversed the decision.’
Speaking at the White House Monday, the president revealed that he had called up FIFA chief Infantino and asked him to review the matter – but insisted that he didn’t force the decision to make Balogun available for their clash against Belgium.
Trump admitted: ‘Yeah, I spoke to Gianni. I asked for a review by FIFA. That’s all I did. And, again, I’m good at this stuff. That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other.’
After FIFA kicked back Balogun’s ban, Trump, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino last year, wrote on Truth Social: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’
The USA’s opponents, Belgium, filed an appeal against the decision, however, it was swiftly rejected by FIFA just hours before their game began.
Meanwhile, Ben continued: ‘I understand that people will be unhappy about this, and my own view is that politics should not interfere in sport, but I’m very happy of course that Folarin can play in the match.
‘I haven’t spoken to him about this as he doesn’t need distractions from home. We’ll welcome him home of course when it’s all over, and hopefully he’ll be a World Cup Winner!’
The Belgian FA filed an appeal over the decision, however it was swiftly rejected by FIFA
Balogun, 25, is the leading goalscorer for the USA at the World Cup – having scored three times
US President Donald Trump was quick to praise FIFA for suspending Balogun’s one-game ban
Ben said that he and Folarin’s younger brother and sister were up in the small hours of Monday cheering England on against Mexico, and were glad that there is now no chance USA will meet England in the World Cup.
‘Folarin and his family all want England to do well,’ he said. ‘But of course we’re watching all the USA matches and cheering my son on as well.’
Folarin became eligible to play for the USA by accident after his mother Florence had been visiting Brooklyn, New York, on holiday when she was seven months pregnant with him and was refused permission to fly home to London.
He returned to the UK with his parents when he was two months old and grew up in London.
He has represented both the United States and England at the youth international level. In May 2023, he decided to play for the US senior national team, making his debut the following month.
Asked why his son had opted to play for the USA, Nigerian-born Ben said: ‘There might have been a lot of people ahead of him if he decided to join England, but football isn’t as big in the US.
‘We have decided to support him from here rather than joining him in the US for the World Cup. It’s very expensive and he wants to focus on the job in hand.
‘Our whole family is supporting England as well and we were so happy when they beat Mexico early this morning – we all watched in the middle of the night.
The decision to show Balogun a straight red card sparked widespread fury on social media
FIFA president Gianni Infantino pictured alongside Donald Trump last month
Balogun has represented both the United States and England at the youth international level
‘I’m glad that England and the USA cannot meet in the draw, but if they could, because Folarin was brought up here and we’ve lived here for a very long time, I’d have to support England, but it wouldn’t be an easy decision!’
Asked why there were no USA flags outside their modest terraced house in a housing estate where many lampposts are bedecked with the union flag and the flag of St George, Ben said: ‘We are quiet people and we don’t want to make a lot of noise, but Folarin knows we’re backing him and the USA team.’
In the days that followed his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun spoke out and insisted that he felt the referee’s decision was harsh.
He explained: ‘First and foremost, it was totally unintentional, which I’m sure a lot of people know. But, you know, I think the choice of the referee was, of course, his choice, but I don’t think it was the correct call,’ he told reporters on Friday.
‘I think a yellow card would have been fair due to it not being intentional. There’s not many places I can place my foot in such a scenario. But it’s happened, and it’s something that I have to accept and move forward from.’
After Folarin, who was brought up in Clapham Common, south London, was spotted as a gifted footballer at the age of six, he soon joined the Arsenal academy and was promoted to the first team in 2020, then went on loan to Middlesborough in 2022.
He was then loaned to French club Reims, where he scored 22 goals in his first season and in 2023 signed for Monaco for €40million, where he was player of the season last year.
