Sports
Pochettino regrets not being more involved in Balogun suspension appeal
September 25, 2026 at 08:55 PM
US coach Mauricio Pochettino said he regrets not being more involved in the decision that let Folarin Balogun play against Belgium at the World Cup.
- FIFA's disciplinary committee suspended Balogun's one-match ban for a year, allowing him to play the round-of-16 match, which the US lost 4-1 to Belgium.
- US president Donald Trump said he personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask that the ruling be reviewed.
- Pochettino told broadcaster Andrés Cantor he was not involved in the decision to appeal the red card and regretted that.
- Pochettino said the controversy changed the energy around the squad and that no tactics or selection would have changed the result against Belgium.