The red card for Folarin Balogun sparked a wave of controversy, as many fans argued that this situation was no different from the play that previously helped Lionel Messi escape punishment.
On the morning of July 2, the US team secured an important 2-0 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina to book their place in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. However, the focal point after the match was the highly controversial red card handed to forward Balogun after VAR intervened.
The turning point occurred in the 64th minute when the US striker challenged defender Tarik Muharemovic. During the collision, Balogun’s foot grazed the opponent’s calf. Referee Raphael Claus initially did not blow his whistle for a foul, but after both players lay on the pitch, the VAR team requested him to review the situation.
After watching the slow-motion replay on the VAR screen, the Brazilian referee immediately changed his decision and showed a straight red card to Balogun for a dangerous tackle. The US forward was stunned by this decision and continuously expressed his confusion.
The red card quickly sparked a wave of controversy. Many fans and experts believed that VAR evaluated the situation too harshly, especially when the slow-motion replay made the severity of the collision look more serious than reality. The tackle that caused Balogun to receive the red card.
Quite a few opinions also compared it to the situation where Lionel Messi escaped punishment in Argentina’s opening match winning 3-0 against Algeria on June 16. At that time, the 39-year-old superstar made a similar tackle but did not receive any booking.
On social media, many fans expressed their frustration. One account wrote: “If Balogun was sent off for that play then Messi should have also received a red card”. Another commented: “Same situation but two different standards”. Meanwhile, quite a few ironic opinions stated: “One rule for Messi, one rule for the rest”.
Former England international Sue Smith assessed on the BBC: “If you only watch the slow-motion replay, it looks like a red card. But at real speed, Balogun was just trying to shield the ball and planted his foot down naturally. It was simply an unfortunate collision.”
