Belgium coach Rudi Garcia and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois struggled to contain their disbelief as a Fifa media officer announced the governing body's shock reversal of US striker Folarin Balogun's suspension on Sunday. Garcia stared down the aisle of the press conference room at Seattle Stadium, while Courtois's eyes darted around, possibly masking eye rolls as the media sought to make sense of the unexpected World Cup twist.
Garcia Compares Decision to April Fools' Day Joke
Balogun's reinstatement struck the Belgian boss as a joke, though he was far from amused. “I didn’t know that 5 July was equal to 1 April [April Fools’ Day] at Fifa,” Garcia said in French. “I think we should refer to the [statement] of my federation, the Belgian federation. I think a lot of things are in it. The federation does not defend itself, it does not defend the national team – it defends football in general. It defends its integrity. It defends its ethics.”
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) released a statement on Sunday expressing astonishment at Fifa's decision. “The RBFA is astonished by Fifa’s decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play,” the statement read. “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, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”
Courtois Questions Timing of Reversal
When asked about the fairness of the change on the eve of a knockout match, Courtois deferred. “That’s a question for the football world, not for me as a player,” he said. “Of course it surprises you a bit, especially because it’s the day before the game. If the day after the game it’s already decided, you can adjust to it. But as a player group, we have to win the game on the field. He’s a good player, but we have to win against the whole of America. For us as a group of players, we are going to do our thing on the field. We deserve it with our football and we want to win.”
Fifa initially suspended Balogun for a red card in a November qualifier but later cited Article 27 to clear him, the same article used to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to start Portugal's opening World Cup game. The RBFA's statement delved into the disciplinary code, questioning Fifa's justification.
USMNT Reacts with Levity and Relief
Hours earlier, the US squad learned of Balogun's eligibility through social media, with the news initially seeming too good to be true. “I think a lot of us thought it was AI at first,” defender Chris Richards said with a chuckle. “We know that we’re more than just one player and more than 11 – we’re a full team, and we’re a very strong team. We still know that whoever’s playing tomorrow, we’re going to throw in a good performance.”
Richards, Alex Freeman, and Christian Pulisic fielded questions at US training in Seattle on Sunday, speaking with considerable levity and relief. The nature of Fifa's about-face remains murky – the Guardian understands the White House lobbied Fifa to lift Balogun's ban – but the players stayed focused on the last-16 clash. “I don’t know, personnel changes all the time, right?” Pulisic said. “We don’t know who’s going to play for them up top either tomorrow. Things change. Obviously now, hearing that, they’re going to have to be ready for different options.”
