U.S. star Folarin Balogun admitted Tuesday that the controversy surrounding his World Cup red card caused “outside noise” that made it “difficult” to focus ahead of his team’s exit from the tournament.
The forward was sent off during the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, leaving the U.S. men’s national team without its leading goal scorer for the round of 16 clash against Belgium.
Against the backdrop of claims the Monaco striker was unfairly dismissed, FIFA’s disciplinary committee lifted the suspension.
But the furor ballooned when it emerged President Donald Trump called FIFA head Gianni Infantino to make the case that Balogun should not have been forced to sit out.
Infantino insisted Trump’s intervention did not influence the reversal.
In the event, the U.S. lost 4-1 to Belgium, exiting the World Cup with a disappointing performance.
Appearing on “CBS Mornings” on Tuesday, Balogun was asked about the controversy.
“My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team, but when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy, and I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves, because it’s something that is so unique,” he said.
Also in the news: U.S. Crashes Out, Trump Meddling Fallout: 2026 FIFA World Cup Live Updates
“But the closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult. A lot of outside noise, and that’s hard to avoid.”
Lamine Yamal turned 19 on Monday with diamonds around his neck, mischief in the family and the biggest match of his life ahead but the Spain forward's clearest message before the World Cup semi-final against France was not about goals, gifts or fame.
Asked about former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's controversial remark that France were a great team but "did not have any French players", Lamine, son of a Moroccan father and Equatorial Guinean mother, said football should be a bridge.
"Tomorrow we'll play a brilliant match but if football serves any purpose it's to bring people together," Lamine told reporters in Dallas. "France and Spain are examples of integration. That's what football is all about: integration. Not talking about what someone else has said."
It was a measured answer from a player still young enough to be asked about birthday presents and famous enough for his family to be swept into the tournament glare.
Lamine smiled when asked about his three-year-old brother Keyne, whose spontaneity in front of television cameras has made him one of Spain's unexpected World Cup attractions.
"My brother doesn't realise," Lamine said. "He does what he does at home, and when the camera focuses on him, he gets up to mischief. I like it when people like him. It's fun to see him on screen."
Lamine also arrived at the news conference wearing an extravagant diamond necklace, his birthday present to himself, on the eve of a game he described as "the most important match of my life".
Yet Lamine said he was not fretting over his own numbers, despite having scored only once at the tournament so far. "Every tournament is different," he said. "I'm not worried about having scored just one goal in the World Cup so far. We're winning. I've seen World Cups where Spain were knocked out, and so far that hasn't happened. I hope to keep playing matches so I can score."
Also in the news: Bonnie Tyler, Who Topped The Charts With Epic 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart,' Has Died At 75
Spain face France in Dallas for a place in the World Cup final, with Lamine's birthday week offering another layer of theatre around a player who seems increasingly comfortable carrying attention that might flatten others.
"And it’s going to be a great match. A match that everyone was hoping would happen. Both teams will attack and defend. It’s sure to be a very evenly matched game," he said. For now, he wants football to do the talking — preferably loudly enough to carry Spain at least one match further.
Norway forward Alexander Sorloth has received severe online abuse following the team's World Cup quarter-final exit against England on Saturday, manager Stale Solbakken said.
The abuse started after Sorloth opted to shoot instead of passing to an unmarked Erling Haaland during a crucial two-on-one counter-attack while Norway were leading 1-0. His shot was blocked and England equalised minutes later, going on to win 2-1 after extra time.
Also in the news: License Revoked For Boarding School Where Paris Hilton Says She Was Abused As A Teen
Sorloth's partner, Lena Selnes, shared screenshots on Instagram revealing a barrage of hostile messages, including comments urging the striker to take his own life.
"It is tragic," Solbakken told a press conference in Miami. "That is the world we live in. I tell the boys to stay away from social media, especially on days like this."
"There is nothing more to say about it other than it is completely devoid of sense on every possible level."
Sorloth, 30, who plays for Atletico Madrid, defended his decision after the match, explaining that England defender John Stones had closed down the passing lane to Haaland.
"The only thing I wanted to do in that situation was to pass to Erling," Sorloth said. "But it felt like the pass wasn't there, so I went to shoot."
Senegal have terminated the contract of head coach Pape Thiaw after the country's elimination in the 2026 World Cup.
The Senegalese Football Federation announced on Sunday that it had parted ways with the 45-year-old coach, who had been on the job since 2024.
"It was decided to initiate a procedure to terminate the functions of the national coach, Mr. Pape Thiaw, as well as his entire technical staff," the federation said in a news release.
"After a thorough evaluation of the sporting results and prospects of the national team, the Executive Committee deemed it necessary to initiate this procedure in the best interests of Senegalese football."
On July 1 in Seattle, Senegal lost to Belgium 3-2 in the round of 32, considered a failure by the federation. Thiaw's side held a 2-0 lead in the 86th minute, then allowed two late goals and a penalty in extra time to be eliminated.
In Group I action, Senegal defeated Iraq but lost to Norway and France. They advanced to the knockout stage as one of the eight third-place finishers, thanks to their five-goal win over Iraq.
More than 25% of the World Cup coaches have been fired or resigned since the their teams were eliminated.
In addition to Senegal, coaches from these countries are out of a job: Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Ghana, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea, Tunisia, Scotland and Uruguay.
More departures could occur, as well.
There was a brief moment of tension in the aftermath of England's 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway on Saturday when Jude Bellingham pushed back against criticism from manager Thomas Tuchel.
"Yeah, well, whatever," the midfielder said after learning that Tuchel had described England's performance as "sloppy" despite their extra-time victory.
Bellingham, whose two goals sent England into the semi-finals, was quick to defend his team mates after another gruelling evening in punishing conditions.
The exchange offered a glimpse of the differing perspectives of a demanding coach unwilling to overlook flaws in England's display and a star player focused on the resilience that carried the team into the last four.
Tuchel surprised many with his blunt assessment after England battled past Norway in sweltering Miami conditions. While delighted to reach the semi-finals and full of praise for the players' mentality, the German said he was unhappy with almost every aspect of the performance.
"The result is fantastic. We are in the last four. It's amazing but I'm not happy with the performance," Tuchel said, describing England as sloppy, error-prone and fortunate to progress.
Bellingham, however, viewed events through a different lens.
The Real Madrid midfielder pointed to the draining heat and the quality of Norway's attacking threat, led by Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, suggesting the task had been tougher than Tuchel's post-match verdict implied.
"Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, Odegaard, (Antonio) Nusa, (Alexander) Sorloth," Bellingham told reporters. "That's not an easy team to play against."
It is not the first time friction between the pair has become public.
Tuchel caused controversy just over a year ago when he described elements of Bellingham's on-field behaviour as potentially "repulsive" to some viewers while discussing the player's fiery temperament.
The England manager later apologised, insisting the word had been used unintentionally and that there was no hidden criticism of the midfielder.
Questions also surfaced before the World Cup over Bellingham's role after Tuchel suggested places in his starting lineup were not guaranteed, even for England's biggest names.
Yet any debate over Bellingham's importance has been emphatically settled on the pitch, as England would not be preparing for a semi-final were it not for the 23-year-old.
He has repeatedly delivered in decisive moments, rescuing his side with two goals against both Norway and Mexico, and producing the kind of performances that have underlined his status as one of the tournament's outstanding players.
And Tuchel, despite his frustration with England's overall display, was unequivocal in his praise of Bellingham after the match.
"Enough said. He does it every single match," the coach said. "World class."
England's World Cup campaign continues with a heavyweight semi-final against champions Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Successful tournament teams do not always need perfect harmony. They do, however, need players capable of deciding matches when everything else breaks down.
England have one in Bellingham, and as they move into the final four, that will matter more than any disagreement with his manager.
Если вы ищете надежное и проверенное казино, где можно играть в любимые игры и получать реальные выигрыши, то Pin Up Казино – ваш выбор. Это официальный сайт, где вы можете играть в игры от ведущих разработчиков, включая игры от NetEnt, Microgaming и других.
Pin Up Казино – это казино, которое предлагает широкий спектр игр, включая слоты, карточные игры, рулетку и другие. Все игры на сайте проверены и лицензированы, что обеспечивает безопасность и честность игры.
Один из главных преимуществ Pin Up Казино – это его официальный статус. Это означает, что вы можете быть уверены в том, что играете на официальном сайте, а не на подделке или мошенничестве.
Кроме того, Pin Up Казино предлагает множество бонусов и акций, которые помогут вам начать играть и получать выигрыши. Вам доступны бонусы для новых игроков, а также регулярные акции и промокоды.
Если вы ищете надежное и проверенное казино, где можно играть в любимые игры и получать реальные выигрыши, то Pin Up Казино – ваш выбор. Вход на зеркало Pin Up Казино доступен по ссылке [введите ссылку на зеркало].
Начните играть сейчас и получайте выигрыши!
Важно! Перед игрой на сайте, убедитесь, что вы знакомы с условиями и правилами игры, а также с политикой сайта в отношении безопасности и честности игры.
Pin Up Казино предлагает несколько преимуществ, которые делают его одним из лучших казино в сети. В частности, это:
Большой выбор игр: на официальном сайте Пин Ап доступны более 3 000 игр от ведущих разработчиков, включая такие бренды, как NetEnt, Microgaming и Pragmatic Play.
Надежность и безопасность: Pin Up Казино имеет лицензию на проведение азартных игр, выдана в соответствии с законодательством, и использует современные технологии для обеспечения безопасности и конфиденциальности пользователей.
Для входа на зеркало Pin Up Казино вам нужно выполнить несколько простых шагов:
Важно помнить, что зеркало Pin Up Казино может иметь свои правила и условия, отличные от официального сайта. Поэтому перед началом игры, убедитесь, что вы знакомы с условиями зеркала.
Кроме того, всегда используйте надежные и безопасные соединения, чтобы предотвратить любые мошеннические действия.
В любом случае, если у вас возникнут вопросы или проблемы с входом на зеркало Pin Up Казино, не стесняйтесь обращаться к поддержке.
Также, не забывайте пин ап зеркало о безопасности своих аккаунтов и паролей, чтобы предотвратить любые мошеннические действия.
Pin Up Казино – это уникальная возможность играть в онлайн-казино, где вы можете насладиться игрой на деньги и получать реальные выигрыши. В Pin Up Казино вы можете играть в более 3000 игр, включая слоты, карточные игры, рулетку и другие.
Еще одним преимуществом Pin Up Казино является его безопасность. Казино использует современные технологии безопасности, чтобы защитить вашу личную информацию и финансовые данные.
Pin Up Казино также предлагает различные бонусы и акции, чтобы помочь вам начать играть. Вы можете получать бонусы на депозит, бесплатные спины и другие привлекательные предложения.
Кроме того, Pin Up Казино имеет международную лицензию, что означает, что вы можете играть в казино с уверенностью, knowing that вы защищены законом.
В целом, Pin Up Казино – это отличный выбор для тех, кто ищет онлайн-казино, где можно играть на деньги и получать реальные выигрыши. С его безопасностью, мобильной версией и различными бонусами и акциями, Pin Up Казино – это идеальное место для игроков, которые ищут развлечения и возможностей для выигрыша.
Если вы только что открыли аккаунт в Pin Up Казино, то это отличный момент, чтобы начать играть и насладиться всеми преимуществами, которые предлагает это казино. Вам доступны множество игр, включая слоты, карточные игры и рулетку, а также возможность получать бонусы и участие в турнирах.
Первым шагом является выбор игры, которая вам понравится. Pin Up Казино предлагает огромный выбор игр, включая классические слоты, такие как Book of Dead и Gonzo’s Quest, а также новые и инновационные игры, такие как Aviator и Tombstone. Вы можете просмотреть список доступных игр на официальном сайте Pin Up Казино.
После выбора игры вам нужно создать депозит, чтобы начать играть. Pin Up Казино предлагает множество способов депозита, включая банковские карты, электронные платежные системы и криптовалюты. Вы можете выбрать способ депозита, который вам удобен.
После создания депозита вы можете начать играть и насладиться всеми преимуществами, которые предлагает Pin Up Казино. Не забывайте о правилах и условиях, которые предлагает казино, и всегда играйте ответственно.
Login