Belgium's Thomas Meunier says 'everyone wanted us to beat America' after Folarin Balogun World Cup controversy
· Yahoo Sports
Belgium took the wind out of the United States men's national team's sails this summer during the 2026 World Cup. Before that humbling 4-1 defeat in the Round of 16, a controversial decision from FIFA effectively made the USMNT an enemy, at least according to Belgium defender Thomas Meunier.
The 35-year-old Meunier, who has 83 caps for Belgium and just represented the country in his third World Cup, explained to The Athletic that, because of head-turning call to suspend Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension, "everyone wanted us to beat America."
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"Everyone wanted them to be eliminated," he added more than two months after the July 6 match, per The Athletic.
Balogun himself has admitted that, even though he was relieved to be on the pitch for the knockout match, hearing that he'd be part of the squad was bittersweet.
"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's so unique," Balogun told "CBS Mornings" in July.
"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."
Meunier didn't place blame on Balogun, the 25-year-old Monaco striker, rather he took issue with FIFA and politics threatening the integrity of the sport.
In the aftermath of Balogun's sudden availability, reports surfaced detailing that U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked the World Cup governing body to review Balogun's one-match ban, which the breakout star received once he was shown a profusely debated red amid the USMNT's 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
Then, hours before the USMNT's Round of 16 showdown with Belgium and a day after Balogun was notified he'd be able to play in that match, Trump confirmed his involvement.
"I do believe politics and football do not have to be partners in any way," Meunier told The Athletic, "but the problem is that football reflects what people think — it can be heard in the stands, racism, a lot things. So is it really possible to divide football and politics?
"Federations are political, the financial aspect, everything is linked, it's a bit like a government. As long as the politicians take the best decision for the people, it's not a problem. But, if the politics are — I'm not going to say 'corrupted,' but goes against sport — then it's dangerous. And that's what we had with Balogun."
Meunier, a right-back for the Premier League's Sunderland, reportedly went one step further: "I think this event was a reflection of the whole World Cup — led by capitalism, entertainment, money. This World Cup was the dark side of traditional football."
The USMNT served as one of the World Cup's three co-hosts this year, along with Canada and Mexico. Despite the grievances Meunier expressed in his interview with The Athletic, he notably commended America for its facilities and World Cup infrastructure.
Belgium wound up losing 2-1 in the quarterfinals to eventual tournament champion Spain. Back when the news broke that Balogun was able to play in the Round of 16, Belgium's soccer governing body released a statement, questioning the ruling and pointing to a contradiction within the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
That organization, the Royal Belgian Football Association, said Monday that it can't support Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president. His presidency has been particularly marred by his much-maligned and failed plan to sell minority stakes in the World Cup and other tournaments to private investors. Additionally, RBFA's president, Pascale Van Damme, maintained that, in terms of the Balogun situation, their "questions remain unanswered."
The RBFA is asking FIFA to address the Balogun case during the next FIFA Council meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 15, according to The Associated Press.
"Given the importance of transparency and clarity for all parties involved," Van Damme said, per the AP, "we request the necessary explanations and, at the same time, wish to explore where improvements to the current processes are possible, so that similar cases can be handled in a clear, consistent and efficient manner in the future."