Red card but no suspension: football legends slam FIFA as "disgusting" and "a huge scandal" for giving the US special treatment

On July 6, Beijing time, FIFA officially announced that US forward Balogun, who received a red card in the Round of 16, will be eligible to play in the Round of 8 against Belgium, as his one-match ban has been postponed for 12 months.[Watch the World Cup on Migu Video]

Balogun is the first player in World Cup history since the red and yellow card system was introduced in 1970 to still feature in his team's next World Cup fixture after being shown a red card.

It is reported that US President Donald Trump played a key role in Balogun avoiding suspension despite his red card. Sources say that starting from Wednesday, Trump called FIFA three times, pushing for a change in the disciplinary decision.

Under pressure and intervention from Trump and the White House, FIFA announced on Sunday that Balogun can take part in the Round of 8 match between the US and Belgium.

This outrageous move by FIFA has drawn sharp criticism from many football legends. England legend Wayne Rooney said bluntly: "This is an absolute scandal. Infantino should be ashamed. This has severely damaged the spirit of football. If I were Belgium's opponent, I would be furious. The whole thing is unreasonable from start to finish—it's a farce."

Another English legend, Gary Neville, also mocked the situation: "This is totally disgusting! If I were Belgium, or any other team that had a player sent off and felt wronged in this tournament, I'd be absolutely livid. Honestly, I'm not surprised—this is exactly how these people operate!"

Manchester United legendary captain Roy Keane also blasted FIFA: "It's blatantly unfair. You have to put yourself in Belgium's shoes—their preparation has been completely disrupted. To put it bluntly, this is just a case of a friend getting special treatment through the back door."

French legendary striker Thierry Henry also agreed wholeheartedly: "All I want to say is: even if the decision itself is within the rules, why did it take so long to announce? This has completely thrown off Belgium's pre-match preparations—everything has changed!"

According to the schedule, the US vs. Belgium match will kick off at 8:00 AM on July 7. With Balogun—who has been in hot form—eligible to play, the US team's chances of advancing have undoubtedly increased significantly.

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