U.S. soccer star Folarin Balogun experienced the ultimate roller coaster in his recent World Cup match, scoring a crucial goal before being shown a red card.
On Thursday, Balogun found the back of the net in the 45th minute, propelling the United States to a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 of the 2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) North and Central America World Cup. His goal was instrumental in securing the team’s spot in the Round of 16.
Building on his brace against Paraguay in the opening match, Balogun’s third goal of the tournament made him the team’s leading scorer. His scoring prowess has been a welcome development for a U.S. squad that has long boasted a solid defense but struggled to find consistent offensive firepower.
The euphoria was short-lived, however. In the 64th minute, Balogun’s night took a dramatic turn when he was shown a straight red card for stepping on an opponent’s ankle during a challenge.
Despite being a man down, the U.S. managed to add another goal and secure the win. However, Balogun’s absence looms large as the team prepares to face Belgium in the Round of 16 without their in-form striker.
By experiencing the ecstasy of scoring in the World Cup only to be sent off in the same match, Balogun has inadvertently joined the infamous Garrincha Club.
This unique fraternity is named after the legendary Brazilian winger Garrincha. During the 1962 World Cup in Chile, Garrincha netted a brace in the semifinals against the host nation but was later ejected for retaliating against rough tackles.
Since then, any player who scores and receives a red card in the same World Cup match is considered part of this exclusive group.
The club’s roster includes some of soccer’s biggest names. Brazil’s Ronaldinho joined during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup when he scored and was sent off against England in the quarterfinals. France’s Zinedine Zidane became a member in the 2006 Germany World Cup final, scoring against Italy before his infamous headbutt and subsequent red card.
South Korea has its own representative in Ha Seok-joo, who went from hero to villain in the 1998 France World Cup. Ha scored a free-kick against Mexico only to be sent off a minute later.
In the post-match press conference, U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed his disagreement with the red card decision. After reviewing the footage multiple times, it doesn’t believe Balogun’s challenge warranted a sending off. It was a typical soccer play, Pochettino stated.
The coach remained optimistic, adding that its goal now is to reach the quarterfinals, ensuring Balogun can rejoin them on the field.
Balogun’s red card marks the 12th of this North and Central America World Cup, a concerning statistic for tournament officials.
With nearly half of the matches still to be played, the number of red cards has already tripled the total from the entire 2022 Qatar World Cup, which saw only four dismissals.