SEATTLE — The vibe at the U.S. men’s national team’s practice on Sunday was pretty incredible, especially with the biggest match of their careers just a day away.
Players were clearly enjoying themselves, sharing laughs and grinning from ear to ear. Much of the positive energy stemmed from news that broke during the bus ride to Husky football stadium: Folarin Balogun would be allowed to play against Belgium in the round of 16, thanks to FIFA temporarily lifting his suspension following a red card.
“I totally get it,” Chris Richards remarked, reflecting on the bus reaction when the news came out.
Richards shared a bit about the moment: “The lights were on in the bus, and I had my music going in the back. Then someone mentioned the news, and before we knew it, there was this buzz. We were practically right when we got here to find out it was actually true.”
Balogun had already heard the good news before getting on the bus, although he kept it to himself.
“You could see he was really happy,” Christian Pulisic noted. “I caught up with him afterward and felt more at ease knowing he’d be out there with us. It’s great encouragement.”
Pulisic mentioned that Balogun’s return isn’t likely to change their game plan much, as they haven’t finalized a lineup without him yet.
“Sure, others are stepping up to figure things out, but nothing’s set in stone for us,” Pulisic added. “It’s not like we have to make crazy changes.”
While most players kept a low profile regarding the news during media interactions, Richards humorously noted, “At first, many of us thought it was AI that reported it.”
“I’m really glad he’s here,” said Alex Freeman. “Baro is such a talented player; I’m excited for him to have a big impact.”
Interestingly, when the Athletic’s article broke, it seems the team learned about Balogun’s availability through social media, just like everyone else.
“Some guys were into Clash Royale, others were vibing to music in the back,” Richards recalled. “In the midst of that, I think we all caught wind of the report, which was pretty great.”
