The U.S. men’s soccer team’s World Cup round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina broke the record for the most-watched soccer game in American broadcast history.
Fox’s English broadcast drew an audience of 26.395 million viewers, and Telemundo’s broadcast in Spanish drew 9.8 million, between TV and streaming platforms. The combined total of 36,195,000 blows away the previous record of 27,314,274 that watched the 2014 men’s World Cup final between Argentina and Germany on ABC and Univision.
That record actually has been broken twice this summer. The Mexico-Ecuador round of 32 game, played a day before U.S.-Bosnia, drew an audience of 29.33 million: 24.429 million on Fox’s platforms and 9.1 million on Telemundo’s.
Fox’s U.S.-Bosnia audience also set a new record for the biggest audience to watch a soccer game on a single network. That mark had been the 25.632 million who watched the 2015 women’s World Cup final between the U.S. and Japan, which was a prime time kickoff, since the tournament was in Canada.
According to the data published by the networks so far, 27 games in this World Cup have drawn combined audiences of over 10 million viewers. Eleven have drawn audiences over 15 million, and seven have drawn over 20 million — including all of the U.S.’s group games, and Mexico’s group-stage contest vs. South Korea and round of 16 win over England.
The data isn’t complete, as the networks haven’t released data for all of their broadcasts. Particularly, there are gaps in the simultaneous games at the end of the group stage and the round of 32.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect a statement made by FIFA president Gianni Infantino
President Donald Trump on Monday took credit for getting FIFA to review a red card issued against the United States’ star forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup but said he did not demand an outcome.
“All I did was ask for a review,” Trump said when asked about it during an unrelated Oval Office event. “I didn’t say, ‘You have to do this.’”
Trump confirmed that he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked for a second look at the punishment against Balogun in the United States’ 2-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina last week. But he said FIFA made the final call to lift Balogun’s mandatory one-game ban for a foul tackle, allowing him to play in Monday’s round of 16 match with Belgium in Seattle.
Hours later, Infantino released a statement coming off of Trump’s remarks, which read, in part:
“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders, and business executives from around the world on many different issues.
“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by those competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle I will always uphold. I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes, I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.”
FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-game ban was celebrated by many in the United States but brought condemnation in the international sports world, where some called it an improper intrusion.
In remarks on Monday, Trump called the referee’s decision a “horrible” call. He added that it would have been a stain on the tournament if Balogun, the U.S.’s leading scorer at this year’s World Cup with three goals, was held out against Belgium and the U.S. lost. He praised FIFA for making what he described as a brilliant decision in suspending the punishment.
“I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said. “I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.”
The president, who said he understands sports “really well,” acknowledged that he did not initially know what a red card is or the consequences it brings. When he learned it would lead to a one-game suspension for Balogun, he said, he decided to step in. He also took issue with the use of video review to issue the red card, arguing that slowed-down reviews can make plays look aggressive.
Among those joining Trump for the Oval Office event was Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who thanked Trump for stepping in.
“On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card,” Cruz said. “It was spectacular. There was a reason the FIFA trophy sat here for as long as it did.”
Cruz appeared to be referring to a White House event last year at which Infantino visited and brought the World Cup trophy.
Auston Trusty plays centerback for the U.S. men’s national team, a position that doesn’t lend itself to scoring. But when he fired a goal against Turkey in the group stage finale of the World Cup, William Hall wasn’t surprised.
The University of Richmond junior was well-acquainted with Trusty’s shot. He’d seen it dozens, if not hundreds, of times, standing in the net at Chester Park in Wallingford, Pa.
It was the spring of2020. Hall was 14 years old, an incoming freshman at Strath Haven High School, and Trusty was 21, a starting defender on the Colorado Rapids. COVID-19 had, pushed back the MLS season, and Trusty was at home in his native Media, Pa.
He still needed to train, but there were few options available. So, the professional athlete decided to return to where it all began: Chester Park, home of youth soccer club Nether United, now 1776 United FC.
Trusty had played under coach John Waraksa for six seasons, two years above his age group, before going to the Philadelphia Union Academy in 2013. Hall was on Nether United’s U-15 team when the pandemic hit.
The teenager would often train with his teammates at Chester Park, and one day in late April or early May, Trusty showed up. They ran through warm-ups, then L-shape passing drills, then finishing drills, then shooting drills.
Hall was the only goaltender present, which put him in the unenviable spot of having to defend against a world-class athlete. It didn’t go well for the teenager.
Unlike players Hall’s his age, Trusty moved with a quicker pace and a harder strike. The ball would curl into the corner rather than launching straight ahead.
Auston Trusty (center) made his return to the Philly area in November as part of the U.S. men’s national team group that faced Paraguay at Subaru Park. Jonathan Tannenwald
“He would just pound them into the net, over and over,” Hall said. “I would say if he shot 20 shots, he’d probably make 18. Maybe hit the post on one of them. And I could scrape a hand on the last one.”
Trusty continued coming back to Chester Park, training with Hall and a group of local players five or six times that spring. It was a thrill for the teenager then, but now, those moments mean even more.
The “Delco-head,” as national team goalie and Wayne, Pa. native Matt Freese calls him, has made an imprint on the sport’s biggest stage. His goal against Turkey on June 25, which came in the third minute, was the second fastest in U.S. World Cup history.
It was not only Trusty’s first international goal, but the first men’s World Cup goal scored by a player born in the Philadelphia region.
“The group chats were going crazy,” said Hall. “But I think my first thought was, ‘I played with a player who just scored in the World Cup. That is insane. I saved his shot as a young kid.’”
Others throughout the Delaware Valley soccer community felt similarly. Paul Norris, who coached Trusty as a freshman at Penncrest High School, said he became emotional just hearing his name and hometown during the roster reveal.
As was the case with Nether United, Trusty was playing far above his weight at Penncrest. Even as a 14-year-old, he was starting alongside players who were much older and bigger than he was.
“What people laugh at now is he plays professionally as a defender,” Norris said. “But at the time, he had obviously a lot of skill, and we had him as a striker. And he was our second leading goal scorer that year.”
For the last 25 years, Norris has worked both at Penncrest and at Springton Lake Middle School, where he taught Trusty physical education. He still sees that lanky kid when he’s roaming the defensive line for Team USA (even though that kid now stands at 6-foot-3, 172 pounds).
So does Waraksa. The 1776 United coach has known Trusty since he was 8 and was at his World Cup debut in Seattle against Australia on June 19. He was down the shore, in Ocean City, N.J., watching with friends and family when the Media native scored his first goal.
U.S. men’s soccer defender and Media native Auston Trusty (left), poses for an image with his former youth soccer coaches and his former club head coach John Waraksa (center).Courtesy / John Waraksa
It brought Waraksa back to 2013, when Trusty scored in Nether United’s state cup final against Lehigh Valley.
“Lehigh had won the last five state championships at our age group,” the coach said, “so he stepped up, even two years young, in a state cup final. I mean, who does that?”
Trusty found himself in some challenging situations with Nether United. Waraksa put him on a high back line, but even from an early age, he took to it. Once the centerback realized he could compete amid a more advanced style of play, his confidence only grew.
And as he continues to represent his country, that confidence is as high as ever. Norris is still coaching varsity soccer at Penncrest, and for the past few years, he’s shown his players clips of Trusty back when he was playing for the Philadelphia Union.
In addition to his time with Nether United, Trusty was also groomed in the Philadelphia Union’s academy and played for its first team. JOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer
A lot has happened since then. In 2022, Trusty signed with Arsenal. He returned to Europe in 2023, signing with Sheffield United, and in 2024, he penned a five-year-deal with Celtic.
But Norris now has the best Auston Trusty highlight reel of all, one that is “slightly updated” from his Union days. And with Penncrest’s preseason rapidly approaching, the coach can’t wait to show it off.
“We try to remind the kids that this was somebody who was local,” Norris said. “This was not that many years ago. These are things that somebody who was in this school, and in the seat that you may be sitting in, has done.
“You’re all capable of it. It’s just a matter of, do you want to put the work in for it?”
SEATTLE — U.S. men’s soccer team star striker Folarin Balogun will be available to play in Monday’s World Cup round-of-16 game after all.
FIFA announced just before the team’s practice on Sunday that the one-game suspension that came with Balogun’s red card against Bosnia in the round of 32 has been suspended “for a probationary period of one year.” The governing body said it invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which says, “The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”
It’s a special treatment that world soccer’s governing body has only given twice in its history.
At the 1962 World Cup, Brazilian star Garrincha had a red card overturned after lobbying from his nation’s federation and host Chile’s president — and, allegedly, a potential bribe to a referee, allowing him to play in the final.
Last November, FIFA suspended two games of a three-game ban given to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo after he elbowed a Republic of Ireland player in a World Cup qualifier. That allowed him to play in two group games this summer that he otherwise would have missed.
“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended,” the governing body’s statement said.
Balogun was ejected during the U.S. round-of-32 win for running the studs of his right cleat down Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemović’s right calf before catching the back of his foot.
Referee Raphael Claus didn’t call it at first, but the video review officials saw it and recommended that Claus take a second look. Once he did, the red card felt inevitable.
FIFA does not allow appeals of red cards, but the governing body can decide on its own to suspend a suspension.
There’s some irony in the fact that when the ejection happened, FIFA was criticized for Claus’ use of a slow-motion replay that might have been against the rules of video reviews. But FIFA’s announcement made no mention of that.
“We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete [Monday],” U.S. Soccer said in a statement. “Our full attention is focused on the round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.”
Confusion over the rules
Star playmaker Christian Pulisic opened a can of worms when he said, “Obviously we made that appeal, and felt like there was a good chance, because anyone can look at that and say it was super harsh.”
A U.S. Soccer spokesperson was asked if there was, in fact, an appeal or if Pulisic misspoke, given the federation’s previous statement that no appeal was possible. The response was that U.S. Soccer was “engaged in the process” with FIFA’s disciplinary committee, but no details were given.
U.S. players found out about the decision on the bus ride over to Friday morning’s practice. Balogun was not among the players who spoke when they arrived. He said on Saturday that he disagreed with the decision, but had moved on in part to be a role model for fans watching.
“We weren’t quite sure if it was true or not,” centerback Chris Richards said of the moment he heard the news. “I think everyone knows with AI and with this and that, [there] can be a few question marks. But ultimately we found out through social media, so it was cool to finally get the confirmation that it was true.”
Asked what it means that Balogun got treatment only previously accorded to Ronaldo, he said: “I don’t know what goes on behind the scenes — I don’t know if they’re comparing Flo to Cristiano Ronaldo or what’s going on. I try to focus on what goes on on the field, but clearly they saw something in the decision that they thought deserved to be overturned.”
Fellow defender Alex Freeman said, “I had no clue” that it was in the works.
Folarin Balogun working in a drill with teammates on Friday.Jonathan Tannenwald
“I think it’s a little strange for us,” he said. “I have no clue how it happened, but for us, we’re just happy that it happened, and happy that we’re able to go in and have a phenomenal player like Balogun to be able to go in and play.”
A statement from Belgium’s federation said it was “astonished by FIFA’s decision,” and that “in order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament,” it was “investigating all potential options.”
But it did not say what those options could be.
Belgium manager Rudi Garcia was even more blunt in his news conference Sunday afternoon.
“I didn’t know that at FIFA’s headquarters, July 5 is the same thing as April 1 in Europe,” referring to a calendar date that also applies in the United States. “I think you should refer to the statement by my federation … The Belgian federation isn’t just defending itself, it’s not just defending the national team. It’s defending football in general. It’s defending its integrity, defending its ethics.”
Another question on the subject drew a quick “Don’t waste your time asking about it” answer. And when Garcia was asked if he believed his star striker Romelu Lukaku would get the same treatment from FIFA, he answered: “Ah, I can’t answer that question.”
But those reactions were just the tip of the iceberg.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino (right) giving U.S. President Donald Trump the men’s World Cup trophy at the White House last year.TIERNEY L. CROSS
Trump lobbied his friend
A source with knowledge of the matter confirmed reports that President Donald Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to lobby for Balogun’s suspension to be overturned.
A request for further comment from FIFA has not yet been returned.
Sources in Seattle said there was a point in the past few days when Trump or Vice President J.D. Vance might attend Monday’s game, with authorities in town preparing for them to visit. But it was confirmed on Friday that they are not.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said he wasn’t involved in any lobbying by U.S. Soccer, though he named CEO JT Batson as someone who was. Pochettino also said he didn’t know about Trump’s involvement until reporters told him at his news conference.
“No, we cannot mix that,” he said. “That is a decision from FIFA with the evidence that happened before, and that’s it.”
But he was, of course, very happy that the decision went his team’s way.
“It’s not only because I am the coach of the U.S. men’s national team that I need to defend my side,” Pochettino said. “I think it’s 100% — or 99%, because there are always some people, 99.9% — we all agree that was an unfair red card.”
He also was not surprised that it became such a big deal.
“I come from cultures in Argentina [in] Europe where fútbol, soccer, is more than a religion. It does not surprise me that in this country, that feeling has started to grow.”
Pochettino spoke repeatedly of his respect for Garcia, whom he has known a long time. But beyond that, he said “I think it’s fair, the decision, to not punish us more. Because I think it was enough. And now focus on the game.”
Staff writer Dugan Arnett contributed to this article.
SEATTLE — The players of the U.S. men’s World Cup squad came together from 13 states and homes in four nations abroad. The club teams they represent span 10 leagues around the world’s game.
They are not the same, in many ways. But they are American, and that never feels more true than on the Fourth of July.
This time, it isn’t just the nation’s Independence Day. It’s the first one since 1994 in which the U.S. men are active in a World Cup. And like that one, it happens to be on their own soil.
“It is special,” centerback and team captain Tim Ream said. “It’s double-special because it’s during the World Cup, and triple-special because it’s here in the U.S.”
It was a working holiday for Tim Ream (center) and the U.S. men’s soccer team.Jonathan Tannenwald
The St. Louis native then made a point of highlighting his belief that the team’s diversity is a strength.
“We’ve said this: With all our different backgrounds, where we all have grown up, it’s a true representation of what America is,” he said. “It’s a melting pot of personalities, of characters, and, like I said, it’s a perfect representation of what the U.S. is and what it’s about.”
Ream has even seen manager Mauricio Pochettino, a fiercely proud Argentina native, embrace the national spirit.
“He’s obviously taken to the culture, and at the same time, has added his bit of culture to us as well,” Ream said, which makes Pochettino the latest of many Argentines to do that in this country. From players and coaches to broadcasters like Telemundo’s famed Andrés Cantor, the country has a long history of sharing its passion — and immigrants — with the U.S.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino got to sample a classic piece of American culture by throwing out the first pitch at the Seattle Mariners baseball game on Friday.Lindsey Wasson
“As he said after the first here in Seattle [the U.S.’s group stage win over Australia], he felt something with ‘Country Roads’ being played and blasted through the stadium [postgame],” Ream said. “The group is such a melting pot [with] staff, players, and, again, it’s just an incredible representation of who we are as people. But, yeah, he definitely won’t let us forget that he’s still Argentine at the end of the day.”
The 38-year-old Ream has experienced the holiday in multiple ways, too. When he played in England from 2012 to 2024, he spent some Fourths over there instead of over here. Then he returned to MLS to join Charlotte FC, where he’s now in his third season.
“It’s a little bit different celebrating here than over there,” he said. “A lot of people [in England] don’t actually know why we celebrate the Fourth, which is crazy to me because they were a big part of why we celebrate.”
That line drew a round of hearty laughs, even from the English media who have been following the U.S. team during the World Cup.
At the U.S.-Australia group game in Seattle, some fans brought a banner that read “IT’S CALLED SOCCER” to poke fun at England.Lindsey Wasson
“The memories for me are just the typical standard: barbecue, enjoy time with family all day, fireworks in the evening, and just celebrating, obviously, what it means to have freedom, to have independence,” Ream said. “It doesn’t have to be this big, extravagant thing, but just acknowledging why we are a country, and how we became a country, and how we became independent is enough for any of us.”
There wasn’t going to be much extravagance for the team as it worked through the holiday. But there would be time in the evening to gather with friends and family and watch Seattle’s big fireworks show from a rooftop downtown.
Then they’ll be back at it, trying to give the nation one more festival in Monday’s round of 16 game against Belgium (8 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo).
“We are, as we all continue to say, very aware of the impact that we’re having around the country, the impact we’re having on generations of people and fans and supporters,” Ream said. “Aware, but it’s not something that is at the forefront of our thinking at the minute. It’s more the game, and what we have to do to continue to move on.”
Though this is the first time that a World Cup’s round of 16 is the second knockout round, some of the matchups are loaded with history.
One of them will take center stage in Philadelphia’s July 4 festivities. France and Paraguay have met twice in World Cups, and both were momentous.
In the 1998 round of 16, La Albirroja held Les Bleus scoreless on home turf for 114 minutes until defender Laurent Blanc scored a sudden-death winner. (Soccer briefly settled games that way.)
In the 1958 group stage, French striker Just Fontaine scored a hat trick in a 7-3 win on the way to totaling 13 goals in the tournament — still the most goals by one player in one World Cup.
That record could fall this summer, thanks partially to another French superstar. Kylian Mbappé has six goals so far, one behind Lionel Messi’s tournament-leading seven for Argentina. Yes, the extra round helps, but both are in the all-world category. Not many people will argue if they beat Fontaine’s mark.
Messi’s next chance to score is Tuesday, when he leads the Albiceleste into Atlanta to face Mo Salah’s Egypt.
Philly fans won’t have to travel far (if they can get tickets) to see one of the round’s most star-studded clashes: Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior vs. Norway’s Erling Haaland on Sunday in New Jersey’s Meadowlands.
Strangely, the five-time World Cup champion Seleçao have never beaten the Vikings in three friendlies and one World Cup meeting. Norway pulled off a 2-1 upset in the 1998 group stage.
Monday’s Portugal-Spain showdown in suburban Dallas will have the most rivalry spice. The next-door neighbors have met 41 times dating back to 1921, but just twice in World Cups: the 2010 round of 16 and the 2018 group stage. We’ll see if this round of 16 game sends Spain on the same path it followed in 2010 to its first World Cup title.
Finally, we come to the games that will matter most in our part of the world. All three cohosts are still alive, but they all face big tests.
Canada goes first on Saturday, facing Morocco in Houston. The Atlas Lions made the 2022 semifinals and are looking sharp again this summer.
Then comes an all-time Sunday night on this continent’s most famous soccer stage. Mexico, fresh off its first knockout win since the last World Cup it hosted in 1986, hosts England at the Estadio Azteca.
🔥¡GOL DE QUIÑONES A NIVEL DE CANCHA! 🗣️⚽
Julián Quiñones firmó una joya para abrir la cuenta y poner en ventaja a México🇲🇽 sobre Ecuador🇪🇨 en estos Dieciseisavos de Final. 🏟️💥
¿Qué te pareció la definición del goleador mexicano?👇
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) July 1, 2026
While there’s no question that the Three Lions have the better talent, they’ve never played at anything like Mexico City’s 7,220-foot altitude. Will that plus a deafening home crowd propel El Tri to a famous win?
Finally, there’s the world’s version of Monday Night Football in Seattle. The U.S. men play the biggest game in program history when they face Belgium, trying to win two knockout games in one World Cup for the first time. It’s the game so many people have dreamed of for years, and now it’s finally here.
SEATTLE — America’s national pastime crossed paths with the world’s favorite game on Friday evening when the Seattle Mariners hosted the U.S. men’s soccer team at their game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The U.S. squad met the Mariners in their clubhouse before the game, and were introduced to a cheering crowd one-by-one on a red carpet. Manager Mauricio Pochettino then stepped to the foot of the mound and threw the ceremonial first pitch.
Mauricio Pochettino throws a fine first pitch for a soccer manager who might not ever have picked up a baseball before this morning:
Pochettino practiced some in the morning, before his team got to work on the University of Washington’s soccer field across town. The Huskies’ baseball team lent balls and gloves, and U.S. backup goalkeeper Matt Turner — who played shortstop at St. Joseph Regional High School in north Jersey — gave his boss some tips on throwing form.
Matt Turner (left) giving Mauricio Pochettino advice on how to throw a baseball at Friday morning’s U.S. practice.Jonathan Tannenwald
“It’s amazing to be here again and feel your support,” Pochettino told the crowd. “The city is amazing. It’s a baseball city. It’s a soccer city. Thank you so much — thank you to the 12th man.”
That bonus reference to Seahawks football fans was one of a few cultural crossovers in a city with big stadiums are a block from each other at the southern edge of downtown.
The U.S. men’s soccer team and the Mariners got together on the field for a photo after the ceremonial first pitch.Lindsey Wasson
Between the Mariners and Jays’ pregame warmups, John Fogerty’s classic baseball anthem “Centerfield” played on the T-Mobile Park public address system while extra time of the Argentina-Cape Verde game was shown on the big screen, including the moment Argentina took a lead. A gaggle of fans with field access gasped as they watched the goal.
A few minutes later, the World Cup’s official song, “Dai Dai” by Shakira and Burna Boy, was the DJ’s pick for the playlist. And not long after that, the fans gasped again when Cape Verde tied the score a second time, then once more when Argentina scored a late winner.
“To have the USA team here earlier [in the tournament] and now to have them back, I think is pretty cool,” Wilson said. “And a chance to meet some of these guys, and [have] the fans give them a chance to show their appreciation for the job that they’ve done. Obviously, this is a global event that has been followed all over the world, and it’s exciting. It brings people together.”
Mariners manager Dan Wilson (left) with Mauricio Pochettino.Lindsey Wasson
That appreciation certainly arrived. Though the Blue Jays always bring lots of fans for their visits here thanks to a big fan base in nearby Vancouver, there were big cheers as the U.S. players were introduced individually. Cristian Roldan drew the biggest, as the Seattle Sounders stalwart was saved for last. He brought the Mariners’ trident out with him and said a few words as the U.S. and Mariners squads gathered for a group photo.
“Thank you, Seattle — thank you for the love and support,” Roldan said. “Let’s go win a World Cup! Go USA; go Mariners!”
The Mariners’ active roster is as global as any in baseball, with players from six countries. Center field Julio Rodríguez, a Dominican Republic native, has befriended French World Cup winner and soon-to-be Orlando City playmaker Antoine Griezmann. (Rodríguez wasn’t around to talk about that on Friday because he’s sidelined with a concussion.)
“We have players from all over, and many of them played soccer as kids,” Wilson said. “I think that’s what the beauty of the event of the World Cup is: It affects so many people. Yeah, these guys are watching the games, and you always know when a team scores because you hear it down the hall. So it’s pretty fun.”
Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo (right) took a selfie in the locker room with (from left) Cristian Roldan, Alejandro Zendejas, and Christian PulisicOliver Hamlin
SEATTLE — Folarin Balogun still isn’t happy about the red card he was given in Wednesday’s U.S. World Cup win, but he isn’t lingering on it.
“I feel calm right now, I feel OK,” the striker said at Friday’s practice, his first time speaking with the media since the ejection. “We’re going to go out to practice, and always, being on the practice fields just helps me to take my mind off things. So, yeah, for me, you know, it’s another day.”
FIFA’s rules don’t allow appeals of red cards, and the nature of the incident meant an appeal very likely would not have won despite Balogun’s lack of intent. At least there won’t be any additional suspension, which U.S. Soccer and FIFA confirmed Friday.
“If you played the game, you would understand, there’s scenarios that you simply can’t avoid, and it has to be taken into context when it’s being reviewed,” Balogun said. “I felt it wasn’t on this occasion. I think, as you all saw, there’s nowhere else to put your leg — it’s going to be unavoidable.”
He acknowledged the wide range of opinions out there, and concluded that “a yellow card would have been fair. It’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward, and I have to accept it, but the most important thing is just to focus on the bigger picture, which is Belgium.”
Balogun also admitted he had “a roller coaster” of emotions in the wake of the incident, but he returned to the goal of staying calm in a heated moment.
“I’ve been upset, I’ve been happy — it’s been surreal, to be honest,” he said of a game where he also scored the opening goal. “But for me, I think it was just important to stay calm. I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion. There’s still lots of people we’re inspiring, little kids, boys and girls who are watching, and we have to show them the correct way to handle things, even when you think it’s unjust.”
After the final whistle Wednesday, Balogun returned to the field to shake hands with Brazilian referee Raphael Claus. That was a nice gesture of sportsmanship, and one Balogun said he tries to make after every game he plays.
Flo Balogun on the field with his USMNT teammates after the match and shook the hands of all referees. Didn’t linger or seem to protest.
“Even though you can feel like something unjust has happened to you, it’s not an excuse to be disrespectful, or to not do the right thing,” he said. “The most important thing for me is to give the correct example to people watching. I’m aware that the World Cup might be the first time a lot of American viewers are tuning in, so it’s important just to show people, whether things happen to you good or bad, just to continue to be yourself.”
For now, he will be the team’s biggest fan, hoping that Ricardo Pepi or Haji Wright can step in and help the Americans topple Belgium in Monday’s round of 16 contest — the biggest game in U.S. men’s soccer history (8 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62).
“Just to support the boys, support the team,” Balogun said. “I love seeing how engaged the country is in our journey, and what we’re doing. So I think my role is just to continue to support everybody, to keep morale high.”
Folarin Balogun (left) working out at Friday’s U.S. practice.Jonathan Tannenwald
A baseball diversion
The U.S. team was to be honored at Friday night’s Seattle Mariners game, with manager Mauricio Pochettino throwing out the first pitch.
With that in mind, one of the first warmup exercises at U.S. practice was a round of long toss among some of the players. Tim Ream, Matt Turner, Weston McKennie, and Alejandro Zendejas passed around balls and gloves provided by the University of Washington’s baseball program, whose stadium is next door to the soccer field where the Americans trained.
Texas natives McKennie and Zendejas hammed it up a bit for the cameras, the former doing his best Nolan Ryan impression with windups and throws to the latter. Zendejas tried his luck at a catcher-style crouch for a while, then thought better of it and took the rest on one knee.
Pochettino also got some practice in Friday morning, with Turner offering some tips on technique.
Mauricio Pochettino (center) practices throwing a baseball during the United States men’s national soccer team’s practice at the University of Washington.Jonathan Tannenwald
Balogun was born in New York but grew up in London, so he likely knows more about cricket than America’s bat-and-ball sport. But he certainly relished the invitation to take in this country’s pastime, and the chance for a little fun in a serious week.
“I think that sort of stuff can only happen in America,” he said. ” I’m very, very proud — this is a very unique experience for me, being in the World Cup in your home nation. And yeah, I think you’re seeing, we’ve been able to be so focused, but at the same time have so many things we can do to distract ourselves, and to take our mind off the high-pressure environment.”
Weston McKennie winds up to throw a pitch.Jonathan Tannenwald
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Malik Tillman’s shoe was broken.
He’d been stepped on by a Bosnian player, not hard enough to need to leave the game but enough to need a replacement cleat from the bench.
The new one didn’t have any magic dust, but it didn’t need it. Tillman practices free kicks a lot, so he was ready when the moment came.
His team was a goal up, a man down, and fighting with every ounce it had to secure its first men’s World Cup knockout win in 24 years. In the 82nd minute, the chance to regain momentum finally arrived.
Bosnia’s Stjepan Radeljić held back Sergiño Dest, earning the U.S a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Tillman, with a bloodied sock underneath that new shoe, stepped up to score the goal that clinched the 2-0 win.
“I’ve been dreaming about this game. I’ve been dreaming about maybe taking a free kick and scoring a free kick,” he said. “I practiced this in training, and today I think I showed what I can do.”
Soccer now has its own version of Curt Schilling’s bloody sock saga in the American sports history books — though Tillman is much more soft-spoken than the former pitcher who played for the Red Sox, Phillies, and more.
As Tillman ran toward the end line to celebrate, his teammates joined him in a joyous mass, fusing its energy with a crowd that had dug in just as much down the stretch. That energy came through loud and clear all night, in hopes of seeing a new chapter in a story that began when the Bay Area hosted the U.S. men’s soccer team’s first World Cup knockout game of its modern era in 1994.
“I’m a different type of person on the pitch,” Tillman said. “Of course, maybe you don’t really see my emotions, but if you score a goal like this, you guys saw my emotions. It’s a great feeling, and, of course, a very proud moment for me.”
It’s easy to say that the Americans don’t face the kind of pressure as the world’s traditional powers like Brazil, Argentina, England, and Germany. Even next-door neighbor Mexico deals with more, thanks to a rabid fan base that spans both sides of the Rio Grande.
But this time, the weight on the U.S. was massive. A squad of players long hyped as a golden generation had to win this game, or else they’d be tarred as failures in the big moment.
The stakes rose even higher when cohosts Canada and Mexico won their round of 32 contests first. Imagine the reaction in the soccer world had the U.S. failed to match them.
— FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia™ (@FWC26Philly) July 2, 2026
There still will be plenty at stake when the Americans play Belgium in the round of 16 on Monday in Seattle. This team still hasn’t beaten a really good opponent in this World Cup, or in general for a while. Nor has anyone forgotten that the ninth-ranked Red Devilsthumped the U.S., 5-2, in March in Atlanta, even if that was a friendly with different squads.
The U.S. also still has a poor all-time record against European teams in World Cups. Wednesday’s win was just the fourth win in 26 such games, against 15 losses and seven ties. Raising the win total to five now would make an all-time impact.
The call certainly was controversial, and by the letter of the law, referee Raphael Claus might have relied too much on slow-motion replay footage instead of watching at real-time speed.
But the decision was not totally wrong. First and foremost, any time a replay shows a player dragging his studs down an opponent’s calf and landing on the foot almost certainly will be a red.
An obvious counter to that is that Lionel Messi wasn’t sent off in Argentina’s group game against Algeria for landing his studs in an opponent’s calf even more directly.
This is life in the sport, and every player knows it. Had Balogun been hit in a similar way, even though the initial collision was 50/50, U.S. fans surely would have brayed for the opponent’s dismissal.
Also, if Balogun had been given a yellow card right away, the odds might have decreased that a video review would upgrade the call to a red.
Because there was no card initially, when Claus went to the monitor, all he could do was give a red or let it go. The rules mandate that a video review of a call with no card can’t lead to a yellow. FIFA’s rules also mean U.S. Soccer can’t appeal the decision, though it almost certainly would have lost.
“Typical FIFA,” U.S. veteran Tyler Adams said of the rule book. But he didn’t totally argue with the call.
“You’re asking the wrong person, with how I tackle,” he said. “I think it’s a yellow card. I think when you slow everything down, it’s always going to look worse. I don’t want to say too much.”
It definitely will sting the U.S. to face Belgium’s stars without the striker who has more than justified the hype around his talent. Ricardo Pepi presumably will start, with Haji Wright coming off the bench.
Ricardo Pepi (right) subbed on in the 87th minute to help close out the game.Julio Cortez
Pepi didn’t stop to talk with the media after Wednesday’s game, but Wright did. The last U.S. striker to score in a World Cup before Balogun’s three this summer declared himself “always ready and always prepared to give my best for the team.”
There also was lots of support for Balogun from his teammates.
“He’s done so much for us, and now we’ve got his back,” Christian Pulisic said, and Chris Richards said nearly the same words.
Christian Pulisic (right) consoles Folarin Balogun after the striker’s ejection.Martin Meissner
Freese’s satisfaction
Let’s close this piece on a positive note.
Matt Freese grew up in Wayne idolizing Tim Howard, the U.S. Hall of Famer who cemented his legend with 16 saves in the 2014 World Cup’s 2-1 loss to Belgium. Freese didn’t have to be that busy against Bosnia, but his three stops and command of his box still were plenty to confirm his status as the No. 1 in net.
Now he has a historic reward: being the goalkeeper of record for the first World Cup knockout win in so long.
“It means, really, more than I can say,” Freese said. “You dream of putting your name up there with the guys that you watched growing up. And there’s a lot more to do, but it’s an honor and a privilege to be in goal for this team.”
Matt Freese (center) making one of his big stops in Wednesday’s game.Stephen Lam
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The U.S. men’s soccer team finally ended its 24-year wait to win a World Cup knockout game, though it came at a cost.
Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina featured goals by Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman, but also a red card to Balogun that means he’ll miss the round of 16 matchup against Belgium in Seattle on Monday (8 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62).
When the 11th minute passed, the U.S. had gone the longest it had in any game of this World Cup without scoring a goal. That was a low bar to clear in the big picture, but there also definitely were nerves on both sides of the field. Matt Freese had to make two big stops early, but it took until the 18th minute for the Americans to really test Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.
Balogun was the first player to find the back of the net, in the 31st minute, and not long after he’d gone down inside Bosnia’s 18-yard box, though without enough contact to earn a penalty kick. He was then frustrated a second time by the offside flag, and that call was also correct.
The breakthrough finally came in the 45th minute. Tim Ream intercepted a Vasilj clearance and knocked the ball forward to Tyler Adams, who made a backheel flick into space. The ball rolled to Tillman, who turned and played the ball forward toward Balogun. He had some work to do, but a misplay by Bosnian centerback Tarik Muharemović gave the striker room to collect the ball and slot it home.
As the crowd of 68,827 roared, Balogun celebrated with LeBron James’ “Silencer” dance move. The basketball star — quite a soccer fan himself — returned the compliment on social media right away.
LFG!!!!!! THE 🤫 HAS 🛬 at the World Cup! Helluva goal there Young 🤴🏾! 🫡. GO 🇺🇸 https://t.co/8wb2t2F6oq
Balogun then came inches from doubling the lead in first-half stoppage time, at the end of a lovely teamwide sequence. Alas, his close-range flick hit the crossbar and flew out of bounds.
The U.S. held a 5-1 advantage in shots halftime, a sign of how they’d come into the game but also how many nerves there were.
The game’s first substitutions came in the 51st minute, in a triple-move from Bosnia manager Sergej Barbarez, one of which was star striker Edin Džeko, after pulling up lame. The other moves were tactical, including the much-anticipated arrival of winger Esmir Bajraktarević — a 21-year-old winger who grew up in Wisconsin to parents who fled the Bosnian war of the 1990s.
Balogun’s ejection came in the 64th, after the video review officials watched him rake the studs of his right cleat down the back of Muharemović’s right calf in a tussle. It looked like a 50/50 challenge at first, but the replays clearly showed a cardinal sin for a soccer player — even if he didn’t intend it. By the time Raphael Claus left the monitor, it wasn’t too surprising that he pulled the red card out.
The ejection meant Balogun would miss not just the rest of this game, but will miss the U.S.’s round-of-16 showdown with the Belgians.
Now, it was about playing defense, and every U.S. player did his part. Even Tillman, usually much more of an attacking player, got stuck into a loose ball in the 77th.
Soon after that, the U.S. broke free on a counterattack and Christian Pulisic forced the ball in, but he was clearly offside when Tillman passed to him.
The biggest break finally came in the 82nd. Stjepan Radeljić held back Sergiño Dest, Claus booked the Bosnian defender, and the U.S. had a free kick on the edge of the 18. Tillman spun it right past Bosnia’s defense and into the net, unleashing a huge celebration from U.S. players and fans alike.
MALIK TILLMAN FREE KICK GOLAZO AND THE @USMNT IS UP 2-0 🇺🇸
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino finally made his first substitutions in the 88th minute, sending in Ricardo Pepi and Sebastian Berhalter for Pulisic and Dest. In stoppage time, Gio Reyna replaced Weston McKennie.
There were still plenty of nerves from there, including 10 minutes of stoppage time. But the Americans held on, with the crowd cheering every save, block, and sequence of passes — and exhaling as two Bosnian shots in the final moments went inches wide of Freese’s net.
Then, at the final whistle, there was the biggest unleashing of all. Thirty-two years after the U.S. men played the first World Cup knockout game of their modern era in the Bay Area, they finally delivered the sight that everyone here had waited so long for.
This generation of American players finally has its biggest World Cup win.
