Folarin Balogun’s rescinded suspension has dominated the buildup to the USA’s Round of 16 match against Belgium at the World Cup. But Belgian manager Rudi Garcia has made it clear that he didn’t hold the USMNT striker responsible. Following Belgium’s 4-1 win, Garcia revealed that Balogun approached him personally after the game.
After Belgium secured a World Cup quarterfinal spot, Garcia shared details of an exchange with Balogun, who was the center of a heated debate after FIFA suspended his automatic one-match ban before the USA’s clash against Belgium.
“Flo Balogun came to talk to me,” Garcia said, according to reporter Ben Jacobs on X. “I liked that. It’s not his fault. He is not the one to blame, and I told him that. I appreciate that he came over to talk to me.”
Garcia’s latest comments make a distinction between his feelings towards the player and FIFA’s decision. Before kickoff, the manager had harshly criticized the governing body’s decision to overturn Balogun’s suspension, calling them out for putting the integrity of the competition in jeopardy.
🗣️ Rudi Garcia says Flo Balogun came to speak to him about his suspended ban. “Flo Balogun came to talk to me. I liked that. It’s not his fault. He is not the one to blame, and I told him that. I appreciate that he came over to talk to me.” pic.twitter.com/436ItJg69s
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 7, 2026
“I didn’t know that at the FIFA World Cup the fifth of July is now the first of April and it’s April Fool’s Day,” he told reporters before the game on Sunday. “We are not defending the national team or the federation, we are defending football with its ethics and integrity.”
Garcia was just one of several major football entities to call out FIFA, including UEFA, the Royal Belgian Football Association, as well as former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter.
Flo Balogun was suspended during the USA’s Round of 32 game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He stepped on a defender’s ankle and was subsequently called for a red card before being sent off. He is only the second player to have a World Cup suspension lifted, with Brazil’s Garrincha being cleared to play in the 1962 Finals.
Though the controversy had no bearing on the result tonight, Garcia’s comments drew a line under one of the biggest stories of the tournament. With Balogun publicly absolved of blame and praised for initiating the conversation, Garcia acknowledged a gesture that stood out in the heated debate.
