Balogun: Trump's red card reversal rattled USMNT before Belgium exit

Folarin Balogun admitted the chaos around his overturned red card suspension unsettled the United States squad before their World Cup exit to Belgium (1). The striker, sent off in the group stage, was initially banned before President Donald Trump stepped in and the suspension was waived following intervention from FIFA president Gianni Infantino (1). "It was difficult, a lot of outside noise," Balogun said, acknowledging the distraction rattled his teammates. The USMNT had cruised through the group stage and beaten Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, but fell short against Belgium in a campaign that ended with sharper questions about pay-to-play development in a nation of 340 million.