‘It will break Belgium’s spirit’: Thierry Henry cries to FIFA over Folarin Balogun decision

Referee Raphael Claus of Brazil shows a red card to Folarin Balogun of the United States, right, during the World Cup match between the United States and Bosnia (AP Photo) Former Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry believes FIFA finally made the right decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s World Cup suspension, but questioned why soccer’s governing body waited until the eve of the USA’s Round of 16 clash against Belgium to take action. Speaking on Fox Sports after FIFA’s dramatic U-turn, Henry said the late decision would inevitably affect Belgium’s preparations, even if Balogun’s red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina should never have resulted in a suspension. His comments came after FIFA cleared the American striker to play following an extraordinary disciplinary review. “The latest news for Belgium. It breaks their spirit a bit because you prepare to play a game in a certain way and suddenly you have to change your preparation,” said Henry. “When you come back to it, I don’t think it was the right call. We all said that. We all know he didn’t do it on purpose. But if you’re Belgium and you’re preparing for a game, that changes everything.” The former World Cup winner agreed with FIFA’s final verdict, but criticized the timing of the decision and pointed to Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, which allows the suspension to be delayed. “It’s the right call, but why so late? Why didn’t it happen straight away when Article 27 has been there for how long?” Henry added. Balogun received a straight red card during the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after referee Raphael Claus increased the penalty following a VAR review. The dismissal triggered an automatic one-match ban before FIFA announced on Sunday that the sanction would instead be suspended for a one-year probationary period under Article 27. The decision followed a phone call between US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with the Associated Press (AP) reporting that Trump requested a review of the red card. Trump later celebrated the verdict on social media, writing: “Thank you FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice!” The decision sparked heated debate in the football world. Belgium manager Rudi Garcia sarcastically likened the decision to April Fool’s Day, while the Royal Belgian Football Association said it was exploring all legal options to protect the integrity of the competition. Norway coach Ståle Solbakken also condemned the move, calling it a “bad, bad, bad, bad, bad decision that will damage the World Cup”. But the decision is a big boost for the United States ahead of their knockout clash against Belgium, with head coach Mauricio Pochettino welcoming the verdict after arguing his side had already been penalized for playing with 10 men for more than 30 minutes against Bosnia and Herzegovina.