Overturn this one too

At the 2026 World Cup, an ordinary red card turned into one of the tournament’s most political controversies.

Folarin Balogun, an influential forward for the United States, was sent off with a straight red card in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina — a decision that, under normal procedure, should have ruled him out of the next game: the crucial knockout match between the United States and Belgium.

But before that match, Donald Trump reportedly called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked for the suspension to be reviewed.

After that call, FIFA suspended Balogun’s one-match ban, allowing him to play against Belgium. The decision sparked strong reactions, with many seeing it not as a purely sporting decision, but as a sign of political pressure entering the football pitch.

Yet the pitch delivered its own verdict.
Even with the reinstated player on the field, the United States lost 4–1 to Belgium and was eliminated from the World Cup.

After the match, Belgium’s media team posted a sharp ironic message:

Overturn this one too.