Folarin Balogun Set on Helping Teammates Shine in Round of 16 vs. Belgium | OneFootball

SEATTLE – Being shown a red card that leads to an ejection in the sport’s biggest tournament could provoke a flood of emotion, but when it comes to Folarin Balogun, the USMNT striker is showing a level of maturity and control that is impressive for a man celebrating his 25th birthday today.

After scoring his team-high third goal in the FIFA World Cup just before halftime to give the U.S. a one-goal lead in a high-stakes match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun was shown a red card. After VAR deemed the play a serious foul, Balogun was sent off from the Round of 32 match in the 64th minute. Down a man, the U.S. responded valiantly to not only keep a physical Bosnia and Herzegovina side off the scoresheet but also increase its lead to win 2-0 and secure advancement to the Round of 16.

The striker will serve a one-game suspension during FIFA World Cup 2026, meaning the U.S. Men’s National Team will be without him for its next knockout stage match against Belgium on Monday, July 6. In the midst of a frustrating situation, Balogun has shown a remarkable calm to rise above, both in the immediate aftermath at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium and in the days that have followed as the team traveled to Seattle and began its Round of 16 preparations at the University of Washington. The striker proved his sportsmanship when, even though he disagreed with the call, he went up and respectfully shook each referee’s hand after the U.S. win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion,” Balogun said Friday at Husky Soccer Stadium. “There are still lots of people we’re inspiring – little kids, boys and girls, who are watching. We have to show them the correct way to handle things, even when you think it’s unjust. I felt I did that.”

Balogun has played a big role in getting the U.S. this far in the FIFA World Cup, scoring three times to tie Landon Donovan for the second-most goals in USMNT history at a single World Cup. Undoubtedly, the U.S. would like to have its leading scorer for a single-elimination contest against ninth-ranked Belgium, but this U.S. roster is deep with all but three players on the 26-man roster getting World Cup minutes. The group has been defined by a strong togetherness, and facing adversity, the team is once again showing a mature response and not batting an eye.

“We have guys that can fill in and will have to be ready for the opportunity to step up,” midfielder Tyler Adams said. “When you miss a player like Balo, things change a little bit, but we’ve been flexible. Guys have shown that they’re ready to play... it should be an exciting opportunity for whoever has to step up.”

Players who may be called upon in Balogun’s absence are two others in the position group – Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright. Both strikers have seen action during the tournament and entered camp leading their club teams in scoring – Pepi with 19 goals in 34 games for PSV Eindhoven and Wright with 18 goals in 43 games to lead Coventry City back to the English Premier League. In the previous meeting with Belgium in March, Pepi recorded an assist. Wright scored the last time the USMNT was in the Round of 16 at a FIFA World Cup in 2022 against the Netherlands.

This “next man up” mentality reflects the team-oriented focus that’s driven the U.S. during its summer campaign. Defined by brotherhood, coming together will be even more important as the USMNT faces a strong Belgium side with a spot in the Quarterfinals on the line.

And even though he won’t be able to play in the match, Balogun has displayed a positive attitude and plans to be a good teammate to support the group.

“I’m going to be there in any way I can help the team,” Balogun said. “The most important thing is making sure the guys are equipped to go out there and shine. I want to be somebody they can come to if they need advice or if they need help, and I’m going to definitely show up and support them.”

Belgium enters Monday’s meeting coming off a strong win of its own. The Europeans rallied from two goals down in the final minutes of regulation to defeat Senegal 3-2 in the Round of 32, stealing the victory in the dying moments of extra time to crush the hearts of Senegalese fans all over the globe.

That match, also played at Seattle Stadium, benefited Belgium because the team did not have to travel match-to-match between the Rounds of 32 and 16, and Belgium has held its World Cup base camp nearby in Renton, Wash. at Seattle Sounders FC Performance Centre and Clubhouse. If Belgium was playing any other opponent, that might be seen as an advantage, but the U.S. Men’s National Team has built a fortress in Seattle, and is undefeated at Seattle Stadium, the venue for Monday’s match. Seattle was also the site of the USMNT’s soaring victory in the group stage, a 2-0 shutout win over Australia that helped the U.S. clinch first place in Group D and officially ushered in “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” as the USMNT’s joyous summer anthem.

“We’re very fortunate to be having such amazing support that we’ve had,” Adams said. “Specifically, Seattle has been unbelievable in hosting us. It’s exciting to come back to a place that feels familiar [and where] we had the win over Australia. To know that we can expect that same energy again in one of the biggest moments of our careers is really special.”

Seattle Stadium is known for being a noisy venue as one of the loudest stadiums in the world. In fact, in that June 19 matchup against Australia seismic activity was recorded when USMNT defender Alex Freeman scored his first World Cup goal. For the U.S., Seattle is familiar and if the group stage match was any indication of the type of atmosphere American supporters will create on July 6, the Round of 16 clash is bound to be one for the ages.

“I love seeing how engaged the country is in our journey and what we’re doing,” Balogun said. “My role is to continue to support everybody, to keep morale high. I’m sure for the game against Belgium we can really create a great atmosphere to make the game as challenging as possible.”