Pochettino defended Balogun's eligibility: 'It's impossible to be fairer than this'

U.S. national team coach Mauricio Pochettino strongly defended FIFA's decision to lift the suspension on striker Folarin Balogun, enabling him to participate in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match against Belgium. Pochettino described the ruling as a victory for fairness and integrity in the sport.

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My reaction is that of everyone who loves the sport and believes in ethics and integrity. We all celebrated that decision.

"My reaction is that of everyone who loves the sport and believes in ethics and integrity. We all celebrated that decision," Pochettino stated during a press conference. He referenced a previous match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he felt the team was unfairly penalized by playing with 10 men for 35 minutes due to what he deemed a "very unjust" decision. He asserted that the initial red card shown to Balogun was a clear error, emphasizing that "99.9 percent" of people would agree it was an unfair call.

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We were punished enough against Bosnia-Herzegovina playing with one man less for 35 minutes, in a decision that was very unjust.

Responding to potential frustration from Belgium and their coach Rudi Garcia, Pochettino acknowledged their perspective but maintained the FIFA resolution was correct. "The decision is fair because it was never a red card. There was an error, and the punishment was too severe for the team, especially for an unintentional action," he explained. He dismissed any notion of political influence on FIFA's decision, particularly after Donald Trump publicly supported the ruling, stating, "The decision to suspend Balogun's sanction comes from FIFA, with the evidence they had, and that's all."

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It's not because I am the coach of the United States or I have to defend my side, because I think 99.9 percent agree it was an unfair red card.

Pochettino hailed the decision as a fantastic precedent for football, suggesting it opens the door for correcting incorrect calls. "I think integrity and ethics are global concepts, and I believe it's impossible to be fairer than this. We must celebrate that a just decision was made," he added. However, he also stressed that the U.S. team's success is a collective effort, not dependent on a single player. "Our strength is in the 26 players, not just one. Perhaps tomorrow I will leave Balogun on the bench," Pochettino concluded, highlighting the team's overall depth ahead of the crucial match against Belgium in Seattle.

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The decision is fair because it was never a red card. There was an error, and the punishment was too severe for the team, especially for an unintentional action.