US coach Mauricio Pochettino celebrated Fifa's stunning decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's one-game suspension on Sunday, vindicating his long-standing complaint that the striker's red card was unjust.
"Everyone that really loves the sport and trusts ethics and integrity, I think we celebrate all that decision," Pochettino said. "We were punished enough against Bosnia Herzegovina to play with 10 men for 30 minutes because of a decision that was completely unfair. 99.9% of people agree there was an unfair red card."
Balogun received the straight red during the last-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina after colliding with defender Tarik Muharemovic. His foot landed high on Muharemovic's ankle, and referee Raphael Claus issued the card for serious foul play after a VAR review.
The Guardian reported that Donald Trump called Fifa at least three times since Wednesday to push for overturning the suspension. Pochettino acknowledged the lobbying but drew a line at political involvement. When asked about politicians intervening, he said simply: "No, we cannot mix that."
Pochettino sharply criticized the VAR review process, arguing that slow-motion replays distort perception and obscure a player's true intent. "It's difficult when you are in a box with three, four TVs, and in slow motion, see the things that look massive, look bigger," he said. "But if you play football, like I played, I know when it's bad intention, intentional, not intentional. You cannot measure through VAR. It's only the referee, and the referee didn't see that was intentional."
Fifa and US Soccer initially said the red card and suspension were ineligible for appeal, but USSF officials worked to challenge the decision. Pochettino named US Soccer CEO JT Batson among those involved in defending the situation.
The coach pointed to precedent, noting that Fifa used Article 27 in the past to suspend two games of Cristiano Ronaldo's three-game ban after a red card against the Republic of Ireland, allowing Ronaldo to play in Portugal's opening two World Cup matches. He argued the Balogun decision aligned with that principle of fairness.
Pochettino stressed that the US paid a heavy price for the ejection during the Bosnia match itself. Down 1-0 when Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute, the team played 30 minutes shorthanded and eventually equalized through a Malik Tillman free-kick.
"If anyone was harmed in this situation, it was the United States," Pochettino said in Spanish. "If anyone tries to argue that we weren't punished, playing 30 or 35 minutes a man down in a World Cup knockout match, well, there's no extraordinary benefit we're gaining here. Ultimately, we aren't playing the victim, but we certainly aren't the villains of this story, either."
Belgium manager Rudi Garcia quipped that Fifa may have confused July 5 for April Fools' Day, but Pochettino defended his decision to rejoice in the reversal even when it benefits an opponent. "That is why now, if I am in the opposite dugout, I celebrate," he said. "Because to lose a game in the World Cup is tough for a player."
US players learned of Balogun's eligibility through social media on Sunday. Defender Chris Richards joked that many initially thought the news was AI-generated. "We know that we're more than just one player and more than 11. We're a full team, and we're a very strong team," Richards said. "We still know that whoever's playing tomorrow, we're going to throw in a good performance."
Christian Pulisic noted that personnel decisions shift constantly in tournaments. "Things change," he said. "Obviously now, hearing that, they're going to have to be ready for different options."
Author James Rodriguez: "Pochettino's relief is genuine, but his careful distance from Trump's lobbying effort suggests the coach knows exactly how bad it looks when a World Cup reversal comes with political fingerprints on it."
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