Folarin Balogun propelled the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) into the World Cup knockout stages with his third goal of the tournament, before a red card abruptly ended his night. The Monaco striker joined an elite group that includes Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho, while the Americans now prepare to face Belgium without their leading scorer.

Balogun's memorable evening turned bittersweet as the United States confirmed their spot in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup following a determined 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Monaco forward netted his third goal of the competition, moving up to second place for the most goals scored by a US player in a single World Cup.

However, his evening took a downturn in the 64th minute when he was sent off, ruling him out of next week’s last-16 encounter with Belgium in Seattle. Despite being reduced to ten men, Mauricio Pochettino’s side managed to secure the victory thanks to Malik Tillman’s superb direct free-kick, making him only the second American after Eric Wynalda (1994) to score directly from a free-kick at a World Cup.

Balogun’s dramatic performance not only brought an unfortunate suspension but also earned him a unique place in World Cup history. By scoring and receiving a red card in the same knockout match, the 24-year-old became just the fourth player ever to do so. He joins an iconic list that features Garrincha (1962), Ronaldinho (2002), and Zidane (2006).

Balogun’s absence means the US will be without their top scorer for the upcoming clash, but the team remains confident in its depth. Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards expressed his thoughts after the match, acknowledging Balogun’s notable achievement.

Reacting to the milestone, Richards commented: “Pretty cool record, huh? We told him that we’ve got his back now. We’ve always known we’re a team of 26, not just one. So, of course, we’ll miss him in the next game, but we’re confident that whether it’s [Ricardo] Pepi or Haji [Wright], whoever steps in will do the job just as well as he did.”

As the United States turn their focus to the round of 16 fixture against Belgium in Seattle, Pochettino must decide who will lead the attack in Balogun’s absence. With Pepi and Wright among the options, the US will lean on their depth and determination, having already shown resilience to close out their win over Bosnia with ten men. The Americans will now aim to continue their strong run and secure a place in the quarter-finals.