Wayne Rooney Criticizes FIFA’s Decision on Balogun’s Suspension

England football icon Wayne Rooney expressed strong disapproval regarding FIFA’s recent decision to suspend American striker Folarin Balogun following a red card incident during the U.S. team’s victory over Bosnia in the Round of 32 at the World Cup.

Rooney’s anger was evident when he commented on the BBC’s coverage of England’s 3-2 win against Mexico in the Round of 16, arguing that FIFA’s action “called into question the sportsmanship of the game.” He recounted a personal experience from his own career, recalling how he had received a three-match suspension before the Euro 2012 tournament. He was informed that if he participated in a training session with kids in Switzerland, he could skip the third match of his suspension—a move he initially disagreed with but accepted to avoid a more extended ban.

“Is this really a suspension? They could have simply overturned the red card, which seems more sensible, allowing him to play. But a one-year ban feels like an absolute disgrace. FIFA president Gianni Infantino should be embarrassed, as this puts the integrity of the game at risk. If I were Balogun’s opponent, I would definitely be frustrated. That’s just wrong,” Rooney stated emphatically.

On Sunday, FIFA confirmed that Balogun faced a suspension for an entire year plus one match.

This decision came just days after the U.S. played Bosnia, and only hours before they were set to face Belgium in the Round of 16 match.

The Belgian team was given the opportunity to appeal FIFA’s decision regarding Balogun’s suspension.

Interestingly, President Donald Trump reached out to FIFA, urging Infantino to reconsider Balogun’s red card. He later took to social media to express gratitude, saying, “Thank you FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice!”

FIFA did not elaborate on the specifics of Balogun’s suspension, and notably, the U.S. did not contest the initial red card.

Balogun was sent off in the 61st minute of the match after colliding with Bosnian defender Tarik Mujaremović, leading to the latter’s broken ankle. This incident raised questions about referee Rafael Klaus’s decisions, as he received criticism for several perceived inconsistencies during the game.

VAR was utilized in the review process, but its application was deemed problematic, with critics pointing out that slow-motion replays should not be the basis for red card decisions, as highlighted in an ESPN report.