Folarin Balogun issued a blunt apology to U.S. fans after the United States were knocked out of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in Seattle.
The Monaco forward, who had been the USMNT’s leading scorer at the tournament, returned to the lineup after FIFA deferred his one-match suspension following a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
Balogun had been sent off after a VAR review in the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the disciplinary sanction was suspended for one year, allowing him to feature in the last-16 clash against Belgium.
Despite his availability, the USA were outclassed by Belgium and saw their World Cup run end in the Round of 16.
Balogun had been one of the standout performers for the Americans in the tournament, scoring three goals and tying Landon Donovan for the second-most goals by a USMNT player in a single World Cup.
Sharing a message on Instagram after the defeat, Balogun said:
“My debut World Cup… it hurts to wait 4 years to compete at the highest level our sport has to offer.
“I want to say sorry to our fans it was not good enough when it mattered most and we let you down.
“Soccer in America will only become bigger the belief, the talent, and the passion is continually growing and I know the best days are in front of us, the future belongs to those who never stop believing, this moment will fuel us.
“We will be back. Why not us? For the nation. For the flag.”
The 25-year-old will now return to club duty with Monaco before turning his attention to the next stage of the domestic season and the buildup to the next international window.
The United States’ World Cup exit brought an end to a campaign that began brightly, with Balogun playing a central role in the team’s progress through the group and knockout stages before the loss to Belgium.