Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, J.J. Watt and celebrities erupt after…
SEATTLE — The first signal that a miracle had occurred wasn’t at the United States males’s national team lodge, assembly, or in the locker room. It was on social media.
By the time the team bus rolled onto the campus at the University of Washington for Sunday morning’s final training session ahead of their anticipated match against Belgium on Monday in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, social media had already erupted.
The news broke that FIFA had made a surprising choice to droop Folarin Balogun’s pink card suspension from the Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina for a one-year probationary interval, clearing the American striker to play against Belgium.
Folarin Balogun during USMNT apply on July 5, 2026. FIFA through Getty Images
The gamers might hardly imagine it themselves.
“I had no clue. We just found out this morning,” defender Alex Freeman said. “For us, we just got the information and now we’re ready.”
Chris Richards admitted the team initially questioned whether or not the stories had been real.
“With AI and with this and that, there can be a few question marks,” Richards said with a smile. “Ultimately, we found out through social media. It took about 10 minutes to confirm it. We were so happy.”
Asked how the ambiance on the bus was when the news was confirmed by U.S. Soccer, Richards had a one-word response:“LIT,” he said with a big grin.
Christian Pulisic didn’t want social media to know what the choice meant.
Tom Brady NBAE through Getty Images
Patrick Mahomes and spouse Brittany. AP Photo/Ed Zurga
“I just saw a big smile on his face,” Pulisic said of Balogun when he heard the news. “I got to see him and dab him up after that. Knowing that we’re going to have him around tomorrow helps so much and gives us a big boost.”
Outside the team bubble, the response turned a digital pep rally. Former athletes, tv personalities, celebrities, major sports activities groups and even President Donald Trump all weighed in.
NFL legends Tom Brady, J.J. Watt and Patrick Mahomes celebrated the news, while MLB nice CC Sabathia, NFL stars George Kittle, Chase Daniel and Robert Griffin III, Knicks standout Josh Hart, broadcaster Kay Adams, Colin Cowherd, Dan Orlovsky, Taylor Twellman, Pat McAfee, the Seattle Mariners and even Merriam-Webster all joined the dialog.
Balogun is free!!!— CC Sabathia (@CC_Sabathia) July 5, 2026
Flo is again 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸— George Kittle (@gkittle46) July 5, 2026
FIFA acquired it proper. Eventually.— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) July 5, 2026
For a few unforgettable hours, America’s greatest names weren’t debating soccer, baseball or basketball. They had been speaking about soccer.
And judging by the web’s response, Balogun’s return felt like the United States had just scored before the opening whistle.
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