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Posted on 07/05/2026 6:34:23 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
After the Royal Belgian Football Association released a 283-word statement saying it was “astonished” at Folarin Balogun’s reinstatement, manager Rudi Garcia compared it to April Fools’ Day at his pre-match press conference.
“I didn’t know that July 5 was equal to April 1 at FIFA,” Garcia said in French, through an interpreter.
“We’re not defending the national team or federation,” Garcia continued. “We’re defending in football. … It’s the first time in World Cup history that such a decision is taken. I am a head coach, I will focus on my team, on tomorrow’s game. Regardless of the 11 starting players from the U.S., I will focus on my team.”
Garcia and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois attempted in vain to keep questions focused on the match itself, but all anyone wanted to talk about was Balogun.
The RBFA statement cited a series of FIFA bylaws, and said the federation “is investigating all potential options.”
While it’s unclear exactly what that might entail, Garcia was asked whether an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was a possibility, even if it were to take place after Monday’s game.
“Do not waste your time talking about this,” Garcia said. “I am the head coach of the Belgian national team. He [Courtois] is the player. If you have any sporting questions, football questions, we’ll happily answer them.”
Courtois, the veteran goalkeeper who started against the USMNT in the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup — one of three Belgian players this year who did so, along with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku — insisted that Balogun’s reentry into the lineup would change nothing.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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Demand that the opposing team’s star player be banned for a bogus foul. Cool. Hope he scores winning goal.
Kevin De Bruyne - and he is deadly.
I bet England is PO’ed that they didn’t pick up Balogun themselves.
They’re really PO’ed that Haaland doesn’t play for them.
That too!
Morocco was once owned by France. Not surprised a lot of Moroccans has family in France.
Interesting that if Belgium, Switzerland and Spain win, you would have potentially 7 out of 8 of the final 8 teams all relatively close to each other. The only outlier would be Egypt or Argentina.
England is only separated by water with Norway by about 350 miles, and Belgium and France via the English Channel.
Then you connect Belgium, France, Switzerland and Spain.
And Spain is only separated from Morocco by about 30 miles of water.
I think it’s a valid complaint. The US player got red carded and should not be allowed to play. Games have rules. If somehow the US goes on to win the whole thing, this will be an asterisk next to the win.
BREAKING: FIFA officially rejects Belgium’s appeal against the suspension of Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban — The Athletic— Polymarket (@Polymarket) July 6, 2026
watch out... your husband’s hero was nicknamed “The Cannibal”
;^)
Hubby probably knows that.
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