Mauricio Pochettino firmly stated that Folarin Balogun’s red card during the United States’ match was “never a red card,” expressing his frustration over the decision that sidelines the star striker for their crucial World Cup 2026 last-16 clash against Belgium.

Balogun had scored the opener in the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, but was shown a straight red after a VAR review revealed his studs scraping the calf of Tarik Muharemovic. The decision shocked fans in the 70,000-seater stadium, especially as no Bosnian players had appealed for the foul.

Pochettino addressed the media post-match, emphasizing:

• “For me it’s never a red card.”
• He noted that there was no intention to harm the player, calling it “a normal action in football that happened by accident.”
• He criticized the officiating, stating, “the 50/50 decisions, not one went for us.”

The coach drew a comparison to a similar incident involving Lionel Messi, which was ruled a mere foul without further action. Pochettino suggested the possibility of appealing Balogun’s red card, although FIFA’s rules do not allow for appeals when VAR is involved.

Balogun reportedly felt disappointed and sad about the incident, which marred the celebrations following the victory. Despite going down to ten men for the last 25 minutes, Malik Tillman sealed the win with an 82nd-minute free-kick. The USA now prepares to face Belgium, who overcame Senegal in a thrilling 3-2 comeback after extra time.