'Not his fault': Belgium coach Garcia defends Balogun after FIFA controversy

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia struck a conciliatory tone after his side's commanding 4-1 victory over the United States, insisting Folarin Balogun should not be blamed for the controversy surrounding his eligibility and revealing that the American striker personally approached him after the final whistle.Balogun's participation dominated the build-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash after FIFA suspended the implementation of his one-match ban, allowing him to face Belgium despite being sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The decision sparked widespread criticism across the football world, with Belgium's football federation questioning the move and several leading figures raising concerns over the precedent it set.However, Garcia made it clear that his frustration was never directed at the player."Balogun came to talk to me, I liked that. It's not his fault, he's not the one to blame. I told him that. I appreciate he came to talk to me," Garcia said, as quoted by The Athletic.Belgium stay focused despite off-field noiseGarcia also dismissed suggestions that the Balogun controversy provided extra motivation for his players, stressing that Belgium's attention remained solely on executing their tactical plan."It wasn't needed or necessary (in terms of motivation). What really mattered to us is our game plan. We wanted to be prominent; the U.S. team is dynamic and full of energy. We didn't need Kevin (De Bruyne), we scored goals," he said.Belgium backed up those words with a dominant display in Seattle. Charles De Ketelaere starred with a brace to earn the Player of the Match award, Hans Vanaken scored his maiden FIFA World Cup goal and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a stoppage-time strike to seal a comprehensive victory.The Americans briefly levelled through Malik Tillman's deflected free-kick before defensive lapses and a costly mistake from goalkeeper Matt Freese allowed Belgium to pull away.Praise for Belgium, concern over OnanaWhile celebrating qualification for the quarter-finals, Garcia also took time to thank Belgian supporters who stayed up through the night to watch the match."I think it's 4am in Belgium right now. To everyone who got up in the middle of the night to support us, I'd like to say a huge thank you. They should be happy and proud of their players today. We showed that Belgium is a great football nation. The players were outstanding and followed the game plan perfectly. We were in control throughout the match. Once again, it was a real team effort," Garcia said.The Belgian coach admitted there was one major concern despite the emphatic win."The one big disappointment, the one dark cloud over tonight, is Amadou Onana's injury. We owed it to him to keep going in the second half, win the match and qualify for the quarter-finals," he added.Belgium will now take on Spain in the quarter-finals on July 10.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.