World Cup 2026: Folarin Balogun joins Zidane and Ronaldinho in exclusive World Cup history club

Folarin Balogun experienced one of the most dramatic nights in World Cup history as the United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32, with the striker both scoring and being sent off in the same match.

Balogun opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, pouncing on a loose ball inside the penalty area to net his third goal of the tournament and send the home crowd in Santa Clara into celebration.

However, the evening took a remarkable turn in the 64th minute when the 24-year-old received a straight red card following a VAR review after accidentally stepping on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic during a challenge. The dismissal left Mauricio Pochettino’s side to play the final half-hour with ten men.

Despite the setback, Balogun had already written his name into football folklore.

The American forward became just the fourth player in FIFA World Cup knockout-stage history to both score and receive a red card in the same match, joining an extraordinary list of legends.

The last player to achieve the feat was France captain Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, when he scored from the penalty spot against Italy before his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi resulted in a red card.

Before Zidane, Brazil icon Ronaldinho accomplished the same in the 2002 quarter-final victory over England, while Garrincha did likewise during Brazil’s 4-2 semi-final win over Chile at the 1962 World Cup.

United States deliver one of their finest performances in years

Beyond Balogun’s historic night, the United States produced a resilient and mature display to reach the Round of 16 for the first time in 24 years.

Pochettino’s side dominated much of the first half with their aggressive pressing, quick passing combinations and energetic movement. Christian Pulisic, returning to the starting lineup, repeatedly drove at the Bosnian defence, while Sergiño Dest and Weston McKennie provided width and intensity down the flanks.

The Americans had both Balogun and Pulisic goals ruled out before finally breaking through just before the interval. Bosnia, making their first-ever appearance in a World Cup knockout match, struggled to create sustained pressure and relied heavily on long balls toward veteran captain Edin Dzeko.

After Balogun’s dismissal, the contest changed dramatically.

Rather than retreat into panic, the United States showed remarkable composure. Tim Ream and Chris Richards marshalled the defence superbly, while Matt Freese produced an important early save to preserve the lead. The hosts absorbed Bosnia’s limited pressure before Malik Tillman settled the match with a magnificent free-kick in the closing stages.

The 2-0 victory also ended a miserable run of ten consecutive defeats against European opposition at the World Cup and secured America’s first knockout-stage triumph since 2002.

Mauricio Pochettino praised his players’ unity after the final whistle, insisting that the response to Balogun’s red card demonstrated the character within the squad.

“The team showed the capacity to compete and to fight for each other. I am so, so proud. The players are the heroes and deserve all the praise,” the Argentine coach said.

The United States will now face Belgium in Seattle, although they must do so without Balogun, whose historic performance also carries the consequence of an automatic suspension.