FOX Sports analysts Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas produced one of the most awkward moments of the World Cup as they clashed over FIFA’s latest controversy.
The governing body sparked major uproar on Sunday after they decided to suspend the one-game ban previously handed to USA star Folarin Balogun.
The controversial call served as a major boost to the World Cup co-hosts, as it meant that the previously banned star was available to face Belgium on Monday night.
The matter was drawn into further dispute after it emerged that President Trump had personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino, asking for the ban to be reviewed.
Though Balogun was allowed to play against Belgium, it didn’t matter in the end. The USA were on the receiving end of a 4-1 pummeling from their European counterparts.
The day after the USA’s World Cup elimination, FOX analysts Henry and Lalas discussed the game and quickly got onto the topic of FIFA’s controversial decision.
FOX Sports analysts Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas clashed over FIFA’s recent controversy
FIFA sparked uproar after suspended the one-game banded handed to Folarin Balogun
Former France striker Henry explained: ‘I do agree with the fact that it wasn’t a red [card]. But I don’t agree with how they rescinded the red. What FIFA did wasn’t right.
‘But it was the right thing in terms of not giving a red [card]. That should have been a decision that was done on the field, not three or four days after.’
During Henry’s monologue, former USMNT star Lalas interrupted and questioned why it wasn’t ‘right’ what FIFA did.
Henry continued: ‘That’s my opinion. It wasn’t a red [card] but what FIFA did wasn’t right. And it fired up Belgium. It did!’
‘So [Cristiano] Ronaldo shouldn’t have played in the World Cup either?’, Lalas queried, making reference to the controversial decision FIFA made to suspended a ban for the forward following a violent conduct dismissal during a World Cup qualifying match.
‘You say whatever you want to say [but] I’m talking about the Balogun situation,’ Henry replied.
However, as they prepared to head to the next segment, Lalas refused to let the matter go. ‘Hold on, hold on, hold on. What is not right about it?’, he asked again.
‘That’s my opinion. That’s about it. That’s where I stand on it,’ Henry added. ‘The red [card] wasn’t a red [card]. But the way it happened after, I didn’t agree with it’.
Balogun had been sent off for this tackle against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1
In the end, FIFA’s decision mattered little after the USA lost 4-1 to Belgium on Monday night
Host Rebecca Lowe then said: ‘So, the right decision was come to the wrong way?’
Henry agreed. However, Lalas then interjected again. ‘So, that right decision was come to the wrong way also when it comes to Cristiano Ronaldo?’
‘That’s for you to say,’ Henry replied, before locking into an awkward stare-down with Lalas.
The moment went viral instantly, as fans noted the palpable tension between the two FOX Sports analysts.
Lalas has previously voiced support for Trump and, in April 2025, leapt to his defense over the ‘administrative error’ that deported a US citizen to an El Salvador jail.
Earlier in the day, Lalas openly gloated about FIFA’s controversial decision on an episode of Fox News’ morning talk show ‘Fox & Friends.’
‘Belgium wants to lawyer up against the United States. Go for it, have at it, uh, knock your socks off,’ a laughing Lalas said on the show.
He continued, saying, ‘this was a surprising but obviously a welcome bit of news to wake up to.’
‘Yes, we scrambled around because it was international news, because it was, like I said, not expected. But I think what happened here is America stood up for itself.
On Monday, President Trump confirmed he asked for Gianni Infantino to ‘review’ the red card
‘The powers that be when it comes to the United States Soccer Federation did what they needed to do within the rules and regulations that exist in order to give ourselves the best possible chance of being successful.
‘And they stood up for Folarin Balogun. They stood up for this team. They stood up for this country. And it could have gone either way.
‘If you don’t like it, and there are lots of people this morning that are miffed about it, then take it up, take it up with FIFA… Belgium, I think fairly and not unexpectedly, is not happy about this, and they certainly can do whatever they feel is appropriate in order to try to change this.
‘And who knows, maybe at the 11th hour before we kick off tonight, things change. But until then, we got Balogun, and that’s a good thing from a competitive perspective, because we are going to need all guns blazing tonight when it comes to the game against Belgium.’
