After All the Controversy, the USMNT World Cup

As we reported, there was a big controversy first concerning the giving of a crimson card to U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) participant Folarin Balogun and suspending him from enjoying in the next recreation against Belgium. Then, again, the suspension was then reversed by the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association).

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You even noticed some on the Left freaking out over the news that President Donald Trump had spoken with the FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask for a review. Some of them said they’d be rooting for Belgium, which was just straight-up shameful. 

I’m a U.S. citizen who will likely be rooting for Belgium tonight. Probably just me.

— Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) July 6, 2026

Others claimed that if the U.S. received, the win can be tainted. Look at this ridiculous take from The New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof. They could not just be comfortable that a unsuitable call was righted. 

This will seem to the world as favoritism and as FIFA bowing to political affect. If the U.S. wins, I concern that a lot of the world will see it as a win with an asterisk and as Trump’s America making its own guidelines even in the sports activities world. https://t.co/GK7XLt6rnq

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) July 5, 2026

Now I do not know if all the hullabaloo distracted the crew, but they positively had been having a powerful night time. They appeared out of it from the get-go. They didn’t do nicely. While they obtained one objective, they gave up too many errors; Belgium took benefit of those errors and turned them into targets. 

The man in query, Folarin Balogun, began the recreation, but he wasn’t a big issue. 

Belgium obtained the first objective. Then the U.S. got here back with the equalizer. But then, the Belgium crew got here back and scored another one. 

These followers going through all the feelings in this one so far pic.twitter.com/unuDU2Klwm

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026

Then the Belgian crew obtained a third objective, which was the killer, and even tacked on a fourth. 

Belgium finds a third pic.twitter.com/0m1Hu4qzwR

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026

Belgium scores its fourth pic.twitter.com/Z1NuckvB6A

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026

The U.S. supervisor, Mauricio Pochettino, spoke to the crew after the match.

Mauricio Pochettino talks to his US crew after the match pic.twitter.com/ZBU2xQqCl7

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026

The supervisor maybe said it best: it just wasn’t their day, and they did not strategy the recreation as they usually would. He said they needed to look at how they did issues, to work out what the points could be. 

USA supervisor Mauricio Pochettino caught up with our @JennyTaft after the match pic.twitter.com/aQ8OMo9x2p

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026

A tragic ending for the crew that had been enjoying so nicely, but they still introduced us a lot of pleasure and enjoyable, and we thank them for it. Belgium now advances to face Spain in the quarterfinals. The World Cup will continue, possible with more great motion, just no more from the U.S. crew.

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