SEATTLE — United States men’s national team forward Folarin Balogun said that he’s been on an emotional “roller coaster” in the wake of his sending off against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, but he intends to “support the boys” in the coming days as the team prepares to play Belgium in the World Cup round of 16.
Balogun scored the U.S. opener in the 45th minute, but was then sent off in the 64th for what was deemed a bad challenge on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic.
The U.S. was able to survive for the remaining 36 minutes that included 10 minutes of stoppage time.
The USMNT was even able to pad its lead thanks to Malik Tillman’s 82nd minute goal from a direct free kick.
The USMNT received word on Friday that Balogun will serve a one-match ban, so if the U.S. prevails against Belgium, Balogun would be eligible to return for the quarterfinals.
Read more:Bosnia-Herz 3-1 Qatar (Jun 24, 2026) Game Analysis – ESPN
“It’s been a roller coaster. There’s been lots of different emotions,” Balogun told reporters on Friday.
“I’ve been upset. I’ve been happy. It’s been surreal, to be honest. But for me, I think it was just important to stay calm. I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion. There’s still lots of people were inspiring, little kids, boys and girls who are watching, and we have to show them the correct way to handle things even when you think it’s unjust.
“So I felt I did that. And as I said, I’m happy with the support, not just I’m receiving, but the team. And I think we’re all looking forward to seeing what we can do against Belgium.”
That said, Balogun felt that the decision to send him off lacked context given that he and Muharemovic were battling for position.
Read more:World Cup recap: 10-man U.S. defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina to advance to last 16
“If you played the game, you would understand there’s scenarios that you simply can’t avoid and it has to be taken into context when it’s being reviewed,” Balogun said.
“I felt it wasn’t on this occasion, but I think as you all saw, there’s nowhere else to put your leg, it’s going to be unavoidable. So yeah, I’ve seen many different opinions and takes, but for me personally, I think a yellow card would have been fair and it’s something that’s happened so we have to move forward and I have to accept it.
“But the most important thing is just to focus on the bigger picture, which is Belgium.”
Balogun added that he hasn’t had any conversations with possible replacements Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright, stating that he didn’t want to put pressure on anyone.
Read more:USMNT player ratings: Tillman shines as U.S. books berth in round of 16
The U.S. forward said his intention over the coming days is to “Just to support the boys, support the team. I love seeing how engaged the country is in our journey and what we’re doing. So I think my role is just to continue to support everybody, to keep morale high. And I’m sure for the game against Belgium, we can really create a great atmosphere.”
Despite the ejection, Balogun still found time to shake the hand of referee Raphael Claus.
He said it was important to still show respect in such moments.
“You can feel like something [unjust] happened to you. It’s not an excuse to be disrespectful, to not do the right thing,” Balogun said.
Read more:Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal pay ‘special’ tribute to Diogo Jota
“And after every game, I tried to shake the referee’s hands and this game is no different. So as I said, the most important thing for me is also to give the correct example to people watching. This is something I’m aware that the World Cup might be the first time a lot of American viewers are tuning in, so it’s important just to show people things happen to you good or bad, just to continue to be yourself right here.”
In injury news, midfielder Cristian Roldan continued to train on his own as he recovers from a quad injury.
Defender Mark McKenzie was back in full training after dealing with foot irritation which prevented him from being on the roster against Bosnia.
The USMNT will be honored at tonight’s baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays, with U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino throwing out the first pitch.
Pochettino could be seen throwing some practice pitches before training, with goalkeeper Matt Turner giving the U.S. manager some pointers.
“That sort of stuff can only happen in America,” said Balogun.
“I’m very, very proud, as I said, this is a very unique experience for me, being in the World Cup in your home nation and yeah, I think you’re seeing [that] we’ve been able to be so focused, but at the same time have so many things we can do to distract ourselves and to take our mind off of the high pressure environment and this afternoon or this evening will be another opportunity to be there.”
