SEATTLE – The news unfolded in particularly surreal fashion.
Just as I was walking out the door to head to the USMNT’s Sunday training session one day before their Round of 16 encounter with Belgium, I got a text from a friend incredulously asking “Flo back in?!?”
I thought, for sure, they were mistaken and explained that it couldn’t be right: Folarin Balogun was suspended for the match. I had explained that whether or not U.S. Soccer agreed with the red card Balogun received against Bosnia & Herzegovina, the federation had confirmed there was no formal path to appeal it. My friend then told me they heard the news while watching Fox.
I quickly jumped online and found confirmation from a variety of reliable reporters. Hard as it was to believe, the USMNT would, in fact, have their leading scorer back for what will be, arguably, the most important men’s soccer match in American history.
When I arrived at the University of Washington soccer stadium for the training session, it was no less surreal. Some of the best and most well-connected reporters on the U.S. Soccer beat were staring in disbelief at their phones and laptops, discovering the news in real time. One veteran reporter apparently found out about the news from me.
The players’ journey to discovery was basically the same.
Although U.S. Soccer officials were informed of the decision through the official FIFA portal at 10:31 AM eastern (that’s 7:31 AM Seattle time), players weren’t told about it until they were on the bus to the training session a couple of hours later.
Centerback Chris Richards said he had received several messages from astonished friends and family, but waited to respond until he could confirm the news.
“We weren’t quite sure if it was true or not,” he said. “I think everyone knows with AI and with this and that, there can be a few question marks. But, ultimately, we found out through social media. Now it was just cool to finally get the confirmation that it was true.”
What was Richards’ reaction?
“Lit,” he said with a massive grin. “We look to Flo to lead the front line. He’s done that really well this tournament. I think we’re really happy and excited it was overturned.”
Balogun was apparently a bit more muted, in line with his general demeanor and statements he made earlier this week when he was asked about shaking hands with referee Raphael Claus after the game.
“There’s still lots of people we’re inspiring, little kids, boys and girls who are watching, and we have to show them the correct way to handle things, even when you think it’s unjust,” Balogun told reporters on Friday.
Maybe his attitude actually played a part in FIFA’s decision. Maybe FIFA appreciated that no one from U.S. Soccer was making a public stink, even if there had been some behind-the-scenes discussion and plenty of people in the media were calling the VAR decision unwarranted.
Or maybe it was brazenly corrupt.
It has also now been revealed that President Donald Trump made a call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino about rescinding the red card. Did that play any role in the governing body’s decision to invoke Article 27, which effectively allows it to suspend suspensions? The rule had previously been invoked only once before, when FIFA lifted the two-game ban Cristiano Ronaldo was due to serve at the beginning of this tournament.
Informed of that comparison, defender Alex Freeman admitted that it was “a little strange” but also didn’t seem too concerned about the process that led here.
“I have no clue how it happened,” he said. “We’re just happy that it happened and happy that we’re able to go in and have a player like Balo.”
Does this counterintuitively place more pressure on the USMNT? That seems like a bit of a stretch. Even without Balogun, this game was seen as a bit of a toss-up, which is a credit to how well the USMNT has played during this tournament. Balogun's availability can only be additive. His three goals are already tied for the most a USMNT player has scored in a single World Cup since 1930, and that's not even counting two other goals that have been ruled out for offside.
Balogun has been the type of clinical finisher the USMNT has almost never had and makes the job against Belgium far more manageable.
What it definitely tells us is that the eyes of the country are on this game like never before. The idea of a sitting U.S. president even attempting to intervene on behalf of a soccer team was unbelievable not so long ago. Based on the previous match TV ratings, there could be upwards of 50 million Americans watching this game.
How Balogun found his way back onto the field just isn’t something players are inclined to question.
"Knowing we’re going to have him out there helps so much," Christian Pulisic said. "It just gives us a boost."
