Wayne Rooney speaks out angrily on live TV after Folarin Balogun’s red card is overturned
Wayne Rooney has called FIFA’s choice to suspend the red card given to US striker Folarin Balogun an “absolute disgrace,” especially after reports said former US President Donald Trump got involved.
Balogun received a straight red card during the USA’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 because he accidentally stepped on Tarik Muhamremovic’s ankle. This red card meant Balogun, who has scored three World Cup goals, would miss the USA’s upcoming match against Belgium.
But in a surprising move, on Sunday evening it was announced that Balogun’s red card suspension would be paused for a whole year, allowing him to play against Belgium. The New York Times reported that Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for the punishment to be reviewed.
US Soccer didn’t initially appeal the red card, but officials linked to the Trump administration, including Andrew Giuliani from the White House’s World Cup task force, reportedly helped lawyers try to challenge the decision, even though FIFA rules usually don’t allow this.
After the ban was lifted, Trump posted on his Truth Social page, thanking FIFA for “doing what was right” and fixing what he called a “great injustice.”
FIFA explained the decision by pointing to Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which lets them partly or fully pause disciplinary actions and set a probation period from one to four years. They warned that if Balogun commits a similar offense during probation, the ban will be put back in place immediately, with possible extra punishment.
This is the first time a red card suspension has been paused during a World Cup. Before this tournament, FIFA had allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to serve part of a suspension differently, letting him play at the World Cup after missing a qualifying match.
During BBC’s coverage of England’s 3-2 win over Mexico, the topic came up again after Jarell Quansah was shown a red card. England’s manager Thomas Tuchel humorously suggested maybe team captain Harry Kane should call Trump to get the decision reviewed, clearly questioning FIFA’s choice.
Before the game, Rooney spoke strongly about the situation. He shared his experience of a three-game ban before Euro 2012 and said suspending Balogun’s red card for a whole year was unfair. Rooney felt FIFA president Infantino should feel ashamed, and said the fairness of the sport is at risk. He pointed out how frustrating this must be for teams facing the USA or for players from other countries who get red cards and must sit out their next game.
Belgium’s football association was also shocked by FIFA’s decision. They said they are looking into all options because the move goes against FIFA’s rules, which automatically suspend players for the next match after a red card. They stressed how important it is to keep the competition fair for every team now and in future tournaments.
In short, many are upset about this decision, feeling it breaks the rules and could set a tricky example for fair play in football.