American forward Folarin Balogun predicted that the decision to overturn his suspension and allow him to play in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 against Belgium would cause 'a lot of controversy', as he admitted on Tuesday.

Balogun said in an interview with US network CBS: 'My initial reaction was happiness to return to the team. But when I started thinking about it, I knew it would stir up a lot of controversy. And I could also see some tension among my teammates, because what happened was exceptional.'

The Monaco striker received a red card in the previous round after stepping on the leg of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic, a decision he considered unfair because 'when the action is not intentional, it should never be punished with a red card.'

Balogun was initially suspended for the round of 16 match against Belgium, but FIFA's disciplinary committee surprisingly reduced the penalty to 'a one-match suspension with a one-year probation period.'

This decision, along with US President Donald Trump calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to demand a review of the punishment, sparked widespread criticism, particularly from the Belgian Football Federation and UEFA.

The 25-year-old added: 'I tried to focus as much as possible as the match approached. But it was difficult, because there was a lot of noise and controversy from outside, and it's hard to ignore that.'

Balogun started in the round of 16 match, which Belgium won easily 4-1 against the United States, co-hosts of the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.