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Folarin Balogun: A World Cup hero caught between Trump, Infantino and transfer frustration

From Die Presse · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Folarin Balogun emerged as a U.S. star at the 2026 home World Cup after scoring twice against Paraguay and assisting against Australia.
  • His red card against Bosnia was followed by a controversial suspension reversal after Donald Trump said he discussed the case with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
  • Balogun and the United States struggled against Belgium, while reported interest from Premier League clubs failed to produce an immediate top-level transfer.

Only weeks earlier, Folarin Balogun looked like the next great American soccer star. The New York-born son of Nigerian immigrants had come through Arsenal’s academy, played for England’s youth teams and eventually chose the United States. At the 2026 home World Cup, he seemed ready for his breakthrough: two goals gave the hosts victory over Paraguay, and he added an assist against Australia.

Balogun’s prospects rose quickly on and off the field. A 25-year-old American striker with the potential to conquer the U.S. market for his club, he reportedly attracted offers from a string of Premier League teams. His celebrations evoked basketball icon LeBron James, and Balogun later signed with James’s marketing agency.

The momentum survived, at least initially, his dismissal in the round of 16 against Bosnia. Balogun had put the United States ahead before receiving a red card after a video review by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus. The decision appeared harsh, and Balogun called it a shock. Yet he returned to the field after the match and shook the referee’s hand.

Then Donald Trump entered the story. The U.S. president said he had discussed Balogun’s dismissal with his friend Gianni Infantino. Soon afterward, the mandatory suspension for the next match was lifted, prompting outrage in football circles. Balogun said the episode created pressure the team did not need: “It was simply an unfortunate situation and it put much more pressure on us than we needed.”

The distractions appeared to affect the United States. Balogun and his teammates looked frozen against Belgium and lost 4-1. After the tournament, he repeated that explanation on major U.S. television shows. He remained a sought-after striker, but his club performances offered a more measured assessment than his explosive World Cup displays against underdogs. His latest Monaco season produced 19 goals in 43 matches, including a notable scoring run in the spring. Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa were among the clubs linked with him, while a move to Everton appeared close before falling through at the last minute.

It was simply an unfortunate situation and it put much more pressure on us than we needed.

· Folarin BalogunBalogun described the controversy surrounding his red-card suspension after the United States exited the World Cup.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Presse in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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