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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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And the guy who invented the saxophone.
For what did he get a red card? Would someone care to explain?
The great detective, Hercule Poirot.
Nobody said the person had to be real.
Eddie Merckx
Audrey Hepburn, I'm pretty sure.
It was apparently such a bad call that one questions the referees bank account.
“Airline staff did not allow her to board the family’s return flight to London due to safety concerns over the advanced state of her pregnancy, and Balogun was subsequently born in New York.”
sounds like his mom was not trying to deliberately have him born in the USA
England a man down.
Now that’s a legitimate red card.
Red card for England.
Right. He was facing the player.
Dutch ancestry, she fell out in Belgium.
Why no card for that one?
there are all sorts of side issues here. Fun fun Fun for us to debate and emote on all day long.
In the end though the focus should be to make the correct and fair call. And a red card was not the appropriate call here. Kudos to Fifa for doing the right thing.
Kane converts, 3-1!
Beautiful!
This is still going to be a tough game.
I think the “FIFA” soccer officials were thinking “If the USA’s team is eliminated then our revenue/income for the rest of the games (& championship in NJ) will be severely impacted...so we officially “un-redcard him””.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_advantage
https://www.fifa.com/en/match-centre/match/17/285023/289292/400021543
Far from over.
My husband’s hero.
I think I’m going to scan the QR code and vote for the FIFA President as the player of the game.
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