The World Cup knockout stage has barely begun and we already have a diplomatic incident brewing. Word filtering out of the Belgian camp suggests that...
The World Cup knockout stage has barely begun and we already have a diplomatic incident brewing. Word filtering out of the Belgian camp suggests that they are prepared to launch another appeal if Folarin Balogun, the Arsenal loanee turned USMNT striker, is permitted to take the pitch in their Round of 16 tie.GoalZaza can confirm that the earlier Belgian protest, lodged on grounds that Balogun's switch of allegiance from England to the United States was procedurally flawed, has been rejected by FIFA's eligibility panel. Yet the Red Devils are not finished. They have informed the U.S. Soccer Federation that they will seek further legal remedy should the striker feature at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. It is a high stakes game of brinkmanship, and one that threatens to overshadow what should be a fascinating tactical contest.Let us be clear. Balogun is a player of genuine quality. His movement off the shoulder, his willingness to run the channels, and that clinical finishing he showed on loan at Reims last season make him a nightmare for any backline. For Belgium, a side that has increasingly looked brittle in transitional moments, the prospect of facing a physical, mobile forward who can pin their centre halves deep is a worrying one. You can understand why they would rather he didn't play.What has added a layer of surreal theatre to this affair is the reported intervention of U.S. President Donald Trump. When the White House starts weighing in on issues of football eligibility, you know you have entered uncharted waters. It may well have been a factor in FIFA's original decision, but it also risks turning the match into a political football rather than a sporting one. For the players on the pitch, that is a deeply unwelcome distraction.The irony here is that Belgium, for all their golden generation talent, have developed a habit of finding excuses when the pressure mounts. They bottled it against Wales in 2016. They were out thought by France in 2018. Now, before a ball has even been kicked, they are in the lawyers' office rather than focusing on their own defensive shape. Roberto Martinez has enough problems without inviting the sort of noise that comes with a diplomatic row.For the USMNT, this is a test of nerve. They will be desperate to have their first choice centre forward available, but the threat of post match legal action looms. If Balogun plays and scores the winner, the Belgians will scream foul. If he sits out and the Americans lose, questions will be asked about why they bowed to pressure. There is no clean exit here. Only a football match that now carries the weight of a courtroom drama.The beautiful game, eh Never a dull moment.
