{"id":3829,"date":"2026-07-06T12:38:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T12:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3829"},"modified":"2026-07-06T12:38:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T12:38:40","slug":"mauricio-pochettino-lauds-folarin-baloguns-overturned-suspension-we-were-punished-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3829","title":{"rendered":"Mauricio Pochettino lauds Folarin Balogun’s overturned suspension: ‘We were punished enough’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

SEATTLE \u2014 U.S. national team coach Mauricio Pochettino passionately defended the decision by FIFA to allow Folarin Balogun to play in the Round of 16 at the World Cup, saying his red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina was wrong to begin with.<\/p>

Read more Landon Donovan tells The Post USMNT\u2019s tangible World Cup advantage, chances to continue \u2018brave\u2019 run<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe celebrate that decision,\u201d Pochettino said. \u201cWe were punished enough against Bosnia-Herzegovina to play with 10 men, 30 minutes, in a decision that was completely unfair. But it\u2019s not only because I am the head coach of the U.S. men\u2019s national team, I need to defend my side. It\u2019s only because I think 100 or 99.9 percent, that we all agree it was an unfair red card.\u201d<\/p>\n

The decision to lift Balogun\u2019s suspension, in essence letting him off with a warning, came as a complete shock to the world Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

Though U.S. Soccer was involved in the process behind the scenes, Pochettino claimed he was completely uninvolved. He also said he had no idea that President Trump, who reportedly called Gianni Infantino to ask that Balogun be allowed to play, had been involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t see it,\u201d Pochettino said. \u201cI was training, I was with your [media] colleagues and then traveling to the shower, eating too quick, I had a burrito. I was taking the coffee in the car. I didn\u2019t have time to see social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seemingly referring to FIFA\u2019s prior decision to suspend the last two games of a three-game ban for Cristiano Ronaldo \u2014 allowing him to play at the World Cup \u2014 Pochettino repeatedly cited precedent for the ruling.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not something extraordinary that has only happened for us. It has happened in the past,\u201d Pochettino said. \u201cAnd we\u2019ve seen many plays in this World Cup that were not punished. I\u2019m happy for this, because it would have been unfair. I have 12 different reactions of different players in different matches similar to Balogun\u2019s and they were not punished. I celebrate this. Being at a World Cup and being punished like this is really sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though Pochettino did say he understood the reaction of Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, who compared it to April Fools\u2019 Day, that was as much as he was willing to countenance on the other side of the debate.<\/p>\n

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Read more King Charles yanks invitation for Prince Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace during UK visit<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYellow card, I can accept that,\u201d Pochettino said. \u201cBut red card, and punished in the way they punish us, play 35 minutes with 10 men? It\u2019s not enough? Come on guys. If I am the opponent I say, \u2018Yes, coach, you are right. You are right.\u2019 That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to be punished in the next game, not to have one player available? For me it\u2019s not a thing to debate. It\u2019s to congratulate the decision that is fantastic, not only because we have another player available, if not for football, I think, to open the possibility to repair a little bit bad decisions.\u201d<\/p>

Read more Karl Marx knew what the DSA doesn\u2019t. America hates socialism<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

U.S. national team coach Mauricio Pochettino passionately defended the decision by FIFA to allow Folarin Balogun to play in the Round of 16 at the World Cup, saying his red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina was wrong to begin with.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3828,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76,75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer","category-world-cup-2026"],"yoast_head":"\nMauricio Pochettino lauds Folarin Balogun's overturned suspension: 'We were punished enough' - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3829\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mauricio Pochettino lauds Folarin Balogun's overturned suspension: 'We were punished enough' - 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