FIFA World Cup 2026: ‘It’s not his fault’; Belgium coach Rudi Garcia on Folarin Balogun controversy

SEATTLE: Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia defended United States player Folarin Balogun amid the controversy surrounding his eligibility for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash, saying the striker should not be blamed for the situation after Belgium’s emphatic 4-1 victory over the hosts, according to The Athletic.

Garcia said Balogun personally spoke to him after the match, adding that the issue had no bearing on Belgium’s preparation or performance, according to The Athletic

Speaking after the Round of 16 victory, Garcia thanked Belgian fans who stayed awake through the night to support the team and said the performance reflected Belgium’s standing as a footballing nation.

“I think it’s 4am in Belgium right now. To everyone who got up in the middle of the night to support us, I’d like to say a huge thank you. They should be happy and proud of their players today. We showed that Belgium is a great football nation. The players were outstanding and followed the game plan perfectly. We were in control throughout the match. Once again, it was a real team effort,” Garcia said, as quoted by The Athletic.

Belgium head coach, Rudi Garcia, on his conversation with Folarin Balogun after the match:

“He came to talk to me. I really liked that. It is not his fault; he is not the one to blame — that’s what I told him. I really appreciate the intention that he came to see me. I… pic.twitter.com/F933UA7USE

— José Roberto Nuñez (@JoserNunez91) July 7, 2026

The Belgian coach, however, admitted that Onana’s injury had dampened the celebrations. “The one big disappointment, the one dark cloud over tonight, is Amadou Onana’s injury. We owed it to him to keep going in the second half, win the match and qualify for the quarter-finals,” he added.

Garcia also commented on the controversy surrounding United States striker Folarin Balogun, whose one-match suspension was lifted by FIFA ahead of the knockout fixture. The Belgian coach said Balogun had approached him after the match and stressed that the player was not responsible for the situation.

“Balogun came to talk to me, I liked that. It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame. I told him that. I appreciate he came to talk to me,” Garcia said, as quoted by The Athletic.

Downplaying suggestions that the Balogun issue had served as extra motivation for his players, Garcia insisted Belgium’s focus remained firmly on its tactical approach.

“It wasn’t needed or necessary (in terms of motivation). What really mattered to us is our game plan. We wanted to be prominent; the U.S. team is dynamic and full of energy. We didn’t need Kevin (De Bruyne), we scored goals,” he said.

Coming to the match, Belgium stormed into the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a commanding 4-1 victory over the hosts, the United States, at Seattle Stadium.

Charles De Ketelaere starred with a brace to earn the Player of the Match award, while Hans Vanaken scored his first-ever FIFA World Cup goal and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a stoppage-time strike, marking his third consecutive World Cup match with a goal.

Belgium dominated much of the contest despite the USA briefly equalising through Malik Tillman’s deflected free-kick. A costly goalkeeping error by Matt Freese allowed Belgium to extend their lead before Lukaku sealed the emphatic win late on.

The defeat ended the United States’ campaign, making them the last of the three co-host nations to exit the tournament after Canada and Mexico. Belgium will next face Spain in the quarter-finals on July 10 after the Spanish side knocked out Portugal in the Round of 16. (ANI)