During the USA’s Round of 32 clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina, star striker Folarin Balogun was shown a straight red card for fouling defender Tarik Muharemovic. It was a bitter blow to the host nation, as the 25-year-old is the US’s top scorer at the tournament with three goals.
However, what followed was quite bizarre, as FIFA canceled his one-game ban following intervention by US President Donald Trump, resulting in backlash. NFL legend Shannon Sharpe didn’t hold back either, calling out the hypocrisy while drawing comparisons with the infamous Colin Kaepernick saga.
Shannon Sharpe Opens Up About the Involvement of Politics in Sports
“Reversing a great injustice.” That’s what Trump said, thanking FIFA in a post on Truth Social. The governing body said that the automatic one-match ban would be suspended for a year and provided no reasoning for it other than citing a rule which allows punishments to be suspended. The decision was made after the US president called FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday.
Sharing his thoughts on the suspension, 3-time Super Bowl champion Sharpe candidly said on the “Nightcap” podcast, “I don’t want to hear no more about politics and sports is bad. I don’t. It’s only bad if it’s something that you don’t agree with. Colin Kaepernick, ‘don’t kneel, that’s politics, that’s sports and politics, don’t mix the two.’ Balogun’s suspension, a red card, is suspended. ‘Yay, yay, we like politics and sports.'”
USA’s Folarin Balogun gets his red card lifted and is set to play vs Belgium…Now the Big 3 wonder if FIFA will do the same for England’s Jarell Quansah 🤔@ShannonSharpe | @ochocinco | @TheJoeJohnson7 | #Nightcap pic.twitter.com/Ewjo0Em3cW
— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) July 6, 2026
Sharpe pointed out the hypocrisy in mixing politics and sports. Back in 2016, Kaepernick, who was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, kneeled during the U.S. national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. What followed was a massive debate nationwide, with some supporting his civil rights stance, while others viewed it as disrespectful to the military and the American flag.
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Back then, many urged Kaepernick not to involve politics in sport, which is what Sharpe touches on. With Balogun now available against Belgium in the Round of 16, the former Denver Broncos tight end went on to say, “I want one of our best players, if not the best player on the field, but boy, you trick, you setting a dangerous, a very, very bad precedent.”
Meanwhile, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished” at FIFA’s decision and is “investigating all potential options” ahead of the upcoming match. They even pointed out that all previous red cards issued at this World Cup have automatically resulted in a suspension, and the governing body’s decision is a “direct contradiction” of the rules.
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Trump wasn’t the only one who urged FIFA to reconsider the red card. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also demanded that the decision be reviewed, saying, “There needs to be an appeal process for that. It’s probably too late for that.”
Ultimately, the red card reversal will remain a controversial call throughout the tournament, especially considering that Balogun became the 12th player to be sent off during the tournament, but the only one not to serve the suspension.
instant karma served by Belgium. Shame has befallen on the US of A.
its smells…very badly