‘USA vs. The World’: Lalas Thinks Balogun Decision Puts Target On Americans’ Back

Star forward Folarin Balogun will be able to play for the U.S. men’s national team in its round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday after a surprising reversal by FIFA. But that decision might make the USA squad a villain for the rest of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas argued. “Long live Article 27. If you’ve got a problem with it, take it up with FIFA,” Lalas said during FOX Sports’ “World Cup Live.” “This is some surprising, but very, very welcome news to the U.S. men’s national team.” “I will say this: It is now USA vs. the world after this decision,” Lalas continued, “because any support or a treaty or benefit of the doubt kind of just went out the window with this, because we will be seen after this, and we’re already starting to see, some of this as being given special treatment right now. But you know what, it doesn’t matter. Us against the world, that’s fine.” The FIFA Disciplinary Committee initially gave Balogun an automatic one-game red card suspension and, with the reversal, he has since placed him on a one-year probation under Chapter 4, Article 27 of the disciplinary code due to his red card in the USA’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balogun scored the game-winning goal in the 2-0 victory but was later shown a straight red card following a VAR review. Standard protocols suggest the play should not have been flagged to referee Raphael Claus, who had not cautioned Balogun on the field during the live sequence. Because U.S. Soccer had no formal avenue to appeal the decision under standard regulations, the governing body stepped in directly to apply the probation clause. Beyond the decision to clear the USA’s leading goalscorer, the timing of the decision remains a primary point of criticism. The ruling was confirmed just one day before the knockout match, forcing both coaching staffs to adjust their plans. Thierry Henry, who coached Belgium as an assistant manager during two separate stints from 2016-2018, noted that the reversal places an unfair burden on the Belgian side, which had spent days planning for an American lineup without its primary striker. “That’s exactly what it is for Belgium, breaking news,” Henry explained. “That must have broke their spirit a tiny bit because also you prepare the game to play a certain way and then suddenly, you have to change also your preparation of the game.” Lalas agreed with the Belgian perspective, but he said the USA squad shouldn’t take it into account. “I do agree with you that it hurts the preparation for Belgium. [and] what they prepared for, and now they’re going to have to change it,” Lalas said. “But I don’t think Mauricio Pochettino cares.” With Balogun returning to the starting lineup and Ricardo Pepi likely reverting to the bench, Lalas concluded that having the full complement of attacking players is necessary to advance. “In order for the US to win this game tomorrow, right here against Belgium, they need all guns blazing, and without a gun in Flo Balogun, that was a big, big miss,” Lalas explained. “Happy to see this guy who’s had such a wonderful tournament, and we don’t want to be deprived of stars, and make no mistake, he is a star.”