Jesse Marsch has criticised the decision to allow Folarin Balogun to play at the World Cup, saying the lifting of the American forward’s suspension “could not have happened in any other country in the world”.
Balogun was sent off during the United States’ match against Bosnia-Herzegovina but was subsequently cleared to face Belgium after being given a suspended ban. The decision followed a call from United States president Donald Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, during which Trump asked for the case to be reconsidered.
Speaking to The Athletic, Marsch said the episode reflected what he believes is an American expectation of preferential treatment.
“As Americans, we are fed propaganda from a very young age,” said Marsch, who is American but manages Canada. “We are told that we are the greatest country in the world, that we deserve everything and that we are the best at everything.
“So when events are outside our control, we feel that we should be treated differently simply because we are Americans.”
Marsch added: “That is one of the things that frustrates the rest of the world about Americans. That is why the whole world hates America.”
The manager believes the controversy significantly changed the mood around the United States team. He said the side had been performing well before the decision, but that the situation quickly overshadowed its campaign.
“The United States had had a good World Cup and had played well,” Marsch said. “Everything changed in an instant.”
The United States then suffered a 4-1 defeat by Belgium and were eliminated from the competition.
Mauricio Pochettino, who had worked to ensure Balogun was available for the match, has since accepted that mistakes were made. The American manager said he should have been present when the decision was taken.
“You have to have the humility to admit that you can be wrong,” Pochettino said. “And I think my mistake was that I was not present at that moment.”