A trio of former U.S. men’s national team head coaches criticized FIFA’s handling of a controversial red-card suspension in the wake of the United States’ lopsided exit from the 2026 World Cup.
Bruce Arena, Bob Bradley and Gregg Berhalter recapped the United States’ 4-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 on July 7 on the latest episode of their “Coaches’ Corner” show on YouTube.
After analyzing the many on-field deficiencies of the U.S. performance, each of the three former coaches weighed in on the Folarin Balogun red-card suspension.
Balogun, the United States’ top scorer at the World Cup, was set to miss the Belgium match after receiving a controversial red card in the previous match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
On July 5, FIFA announced the suspension of Balogun’s red card, an unprecedented decision that became an international sporting scandal with revelations that United States president Donald Trump had intervened on behalf of the American star.
Shop for tickets for World Cup games in Miami
“When it starts going into levels of FIFA and the president is calling … come on, it’s ruining our game,” said Bradley, who coached the U.S. at the 2010 World Cup. “I’m sorry.”
“We can’t get to the point where the integrity of the game is totally thrown out the window. When FIFA handles it the way they did and puts out different statements to try and cover themselves, the game loses.”
Gregg Berhalter, who coached the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup and has a son, Sebastian, on the roster, was most direct in stating that the scandal had a potentially negative effect on Monday’s outcome.
“It was a strange decision, really unprecedented in a tournament,” Berhalter said.
“I think it could have inspired and motivated Belgium. Because now all the chips were against them … I think it could have hurt our position a little bit.”
Bruce Arena, who coached the U.S. at the World Cup in 2002 and 2006, has been steadfast in his opinion that Balogun committed “a bad tackle” that could have broken the Bosnian players’ ankle.
In Arena’s eyes, the only question was whether it was a yellow or red card and any retroactive suspension was “a mistake” that potentially made it look like FIFA was supporting the U.S. soccer team.
“Those are the rules of the game by which we all play,” Arena said. “I don’t blame U.S. soccer or, I guess, the president calling FIFA and trying to get it overturned, and I guess he did. But I think it was bad for the game.”
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Bruce Arena, US soccer coaches rip FIFA on Trump, Balogun controversy
Reporting by Eric J. Wallace, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Eric J. Wallace, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
