The United States men’s national soccer team experienced a significant setback with a 4-1 defeat against Belgium in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, held on Monday, July 6. Folarin Balogun, a key striker for the USMNT, became the subject of an unexpected controversy during this event.

On Wednesday, July 1, Balogun faced Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic in a match. After a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, Balogun received a red card, resulting in an automatic suspension for one game. However, FIFA caused an uproar by suspending this decision and permitting Balogun to participate in the game against Belgium, prompting discussions about ethics and potential corruption, none of which involved Balogun’s wrongdoing.

After FIFA announced its decision to allow Balogun to play, Belgium’s manager, Rudi Garcia, remarked, “I didn’t know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It’s April Fools.” Despite the controversy, Garcia expressed admiration for Balogun following the match. He noted Balogun approached him during a difficult moment, highlighting Balogun’s character.

“Balogun came to talk to me,” Garcia explained. “I liked that. It’s not his fault. He’s not the one to blame. I told him that. I appreciate he came to talk to me, and he’s a player I really like.”

Garcia further commented on Balogun’s abilities, saying, “He is a really interesting attacker, but tonight, I had no doubt that our center-back pairing, Brandon Mechele and Nathan Ngoy, would be able to contain him well, and that’s what they did.” During the match, Balogun’s impact was minimal against Belgium. The Belgian team commanded the field comprehensively, as reflected by the scoreline. The USMNT managed only two shots on goal, with Malik Tillman scoring a memorable free-kick in the 31st minute.

Balogun ended the tournament as the USMNT’s top scorer, netting three goals. The U.S. men’s team has consistently exited in the Round of 16 in the last four World Cup appearances, missing the 2018 tournament, and hasn’t reached the quarterfinal since 2002. Notably, Belgium also defeated the USMNT in the Round of 16 during the 2014 World Cup.

Following their victory, Belgium will proceed to face Spain in the quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium on Friday, July 10.