Mauricio Pochettino regrets limited role in Balogun World Cup red card appeal

United States men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has expressed regret over his limited involvement in the controversial appeal regarding Folarin Balogun’s red card during the 2026 World Cup.

Balogun received a straight red card during the round-of-32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, FIFA’s disciplinary committee later issued an unprecedented decision to suspend the one-match ban, allowing Balogun to play in the round-of-16 match against Belgium. The decision followed reported intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated he personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review.

Pochettino noted that the resulting controversy and political discourse shifted the team’s energy, contributing to their 4-1 loss against Belgium. He stated that he should have been more involved in the decision-making process to manage the situation internally and prevent the negative atmosphere that surrounded the squad during the tournament.