‘BS call!’ America loses top scorer before biggest FIFA match, Brittany Mahomes leads backlash

The United States punched its ticket to the World Cup Round of 16 Wednesday night with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. But what should have been a celebration quickly turned into a debate over one of the most controversial officiating decisions of the tournament.

American striker Folarin Balogun, arguably the U.S. team’s most dangerous attacking player throughout the World Cup, scored the opening goal before being shown a straight red card in the second half following a VAR review. The decision stunned players, coaches, broadcasters, and fans alike.

The incident occurred after Balogun became tangled with Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic during a challenge. Referee Raphael Claus initially allowed play to continue but was later directed to the monitor for a video review. After watching replays, Claus determined Balogun had committed serious foul play and issued a straight red card.

Balogun appeared visibly shocked by the ruling as teammates attempted to console him before he left the field.

This play is being reviewed for a potential red card against the US pic.twitter.com/EdyPpgpycA

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 2, 2026

The dismissal carries enormous consequences. Under FIFA rules, a straight red card triggers an automatic one-match suspension, meaning Balogun will miss the United States’ Round of 16 showdown against Belgium. Reports from multiple outlets indicate the suspension cannot be appealed under current FIFA regulations.

That reality immediately ignited backlash across the sports world. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacted on social media with a simple but widely shared: “Man what……”

His wife, Brittany Mahomes, a former collegiate soccer player, was even less restrained, posting: “That was some bulls***… All I have to say #USA.”

Former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce questioned whether the challenge met the standard for a red card. “That foul looked incidental from Balogun,” Kelce wrote. “Shouldn’t a Red Card be given if there is either intention to foul, or an action that is aggressive and unsafe in nature?”

Former NFL star J.J. Watt joined the chorus, posting: “You’ve gotta be kidding me…” before later jokingly asking for “the FIFA red card appeal hotline.”

The criticism wasn’t limited to American football personalities.

On Fox’s World Cup coverage, soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic called Balogun’s absence “a big loss,” adding that the striker has been “one of the best, if not the best player of the U.S. team so far.”

U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino didn’t hide his frustration after the match. “For me, it’s never a red card,” Pochettino said afterward, arguing the contact was accidental rather than malicious. Reuters reported that the U.S. coach described the incident as unintentional and expressed disbelief that such a crucial player would miss the team’s next match.

Despite the setback, the Americans showed resilience. Playing with 10 men for the final half-hour, they maintained control and eventually sealed the victory when Malik Tillman blasted home a spectacular free kick.

The win sends the United States into the Round of 16 against Belgium, one of Europe’s traditional powers. It also marks America’s first men’s World Cup knockout victory since 2002, a milestone achievement for a team that entered the tournament carrying significant expectations as hosts.

Now the challenge becomes even greater.

Balogun entered the match with three goals in the tournament and has been the focal point of the American attack. Without him, Pochettino is expected to turn to Ricardo Pepi and other attacking options as the U.S. attempts to keep its World Cup run alive.

If you’re looking for a perfect example of why sports fans everywhere have developed trust issues with instant replay, Wednesday night delivered a master class.

The United States finally gets a signature World Cup knockout victory. The crowd is electric. The team is rolling. Balogun scores. America is dreaming big.

Then along comes VAR.

What looked like a routine tangle of legs suddenly becomes a federal case after being slowed down, zoomed in, freeze-framed, enhanced, magnified, and probably examined by a committee of international bureaucrats with clipboards.

The replay culture has infected sports. Officials now spend so much time searching for microscopic violations that they forget to ask the most important question, did anybody watching the game actually think that deserved a red card? Apparently not.

The most maddening part is that FIFA reportedly won’t even allow an appeal. That’s right. The same governing body that can spend six months investigating a jersey slogan suddenly becomes lightning-fast and inflexible when a host nation’s top scorer gets tossed out of the biggest game of his career.

The good news? America still won.

The better news? Sometimes these moments galvanize a team. Belgium is talented, experienced, and dangerous. But if Team USA shows the same grit it displayed while playing a man down against Bosnia, this controversy might end up fueling the next chapter rather than ending the story.

Still, FIFA owes soccer fans an explanation. And maybe somebody should check whether Brittany Mahomes is available for the postgame officiating review panel.