World Cup: Folarin Balogun becomes fourth player to score goal, receive red card
Balogun Becomes Fourth Player to Score and Receive Red Card in World Cup Knockout Match
Folarin Balogun, an attacker for the U.S. men’s national soccer team, made headlines Thursday as he became the fourth player in history to score a goal and receive a red card during a FIFA World Cup knockout match. This occurred during the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
The 24-year-old forward found the net earlier in the game, contributing to the team’s success. However, his match took a turn when he inadvertently stepped on the ankle of Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic, leading to his dismissal from the match.
Balogun joins a notable list of players who have experienced similar incidents in knockout stages, including Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, Ronaldinho in the 2002 quarter-final, and Garrincha during the 1962 semi-final.
In a post-match interview, U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino defended Balogun’s actions, stating, “Balogun? Never intentional, never a red card. Watching it after on TV, it was never the intention to step onto the player; it’s a normal action in football that happens by accident.”