​United States forward Folarin Balogun said he could understand the uproar over FIFA’s decision to allow him to play against Belgium despite a red-card suspension. “Of course it becomes controversial when the decision is reversed,” he remarked after the co-hosts were eliminated from the World Cup following a 4-1 defeat to Belgium. “We accepted the decision when I was shown the red card, and we accepted the decision when we were told that I could play,” he added, speaking for the first time about the incident. Balogun was sent off in the round-of-32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The red card triggered an automatic one-game ban, but FIFA suspended the ban in an unprecedented move so he could face Belgium. FIFA later rejected Belgium’s appeal. The episode has shaken the World Cup and stunned the football world, with critics accusing FIFA of yielding to alleged political interference. US President Donald Trump said at the White House that he had asked for a review because he didn’t think the decision was a foul and that a suspension would have left a “big stain” on the tournament. Among the fiercest critics of the decision was Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, who spoke to Balogun after the game. “He came up to me, and I appreciated that. It’s not his fault. He didn’t do anything wrong. I respect him,” Garcia said. Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said his side had faced a “lack of respect” in the United States in recent days, while captain Youri Tielemans suggested the Balogun controversy fueled extra motivation for the squad. “Let’s be honest: we held a meeting when we heard the news. We told ourselves we needed to do our talking on the pitch. That’s what we did today. I’m very proud of the team,” he said. Midfielder Nicolas Raskin noted that the victory felt like a form of justice. “There was always a sense of justice somewhere in life, and even though you can argue it any which way, we didn’t think it was fair,” he told reporters. “Today, I think it brings us a bit of luck. We needed to win the game and the message throughout.” After the match, the national team’s X account quickly celebrated the result, posting “Overturn this” beside images of Belgium’s celebrations. In another post, they declared “It’s called football,” with the word “soccer”—often used in the United States—edited out for emphasis.