Mauricio Pochettino has expressed regret at not being more directly involved in the controversial decision to reinstate US striker Folarin Balogun for the World Cup match against Belgium. Balogun had received a red card in the preceding match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, triggering an automatic one-game suspension. However, following lobbying by the US Soccer Federation and US President Donald Trump—who claimed to have personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino—the ban was suspended. The incident generated significant negative attention, with Belgium's team citing it as motivation for their upcoming match.

The US subsequently suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium, with Pochettino suggesting that the controversy had fundamentally altered the emotional energy surrounding the fixture. Pochettino indicated that Balogun himself felt uncomfortable with the attention the situation generated. The coach now believes that greater personal involvement in the decision-making process might have yielded a different outcome, and has advocated for a more streamlined approach to such matters, arguing that decisions should be managed by a smaller group on strictly sporting grounds. The USMNT will face Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in their remaining matches of the international window.