The “red card” story with Belgium is about Folarin Balogun and the U.S. World Cup run, not Belgium getting a red card itself. Balogun was sent off in the match before the Belgium game, which initially meant he would miss that next match, and then FIFA later reversed the suspension after controversy and outside pressure.

What happened

Balogun received a red card in the U.S. team’s previous World Cup match, triggering an automatic ban for the Belgium game. That decision was later reviewed, which set off a bigger debate about whether FIFA was bending its rules.

Why people are talking about it

The controversy grew because FIFA’s reversal came after Donald Trump said he contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino about the issue. Belgian and European soccer voices reacted strongly, saying the move looked unfair and politically influenced.

The basic takeaway

So the “deal” is: a U.S. player got a red card, that red card was first treated as a suspension for Belgium, and then FIFA changed course, causing backlash. If you saw “red card card with Belgium,” it’s probably shorthand for that eligibility controversy ahead of the U.S.-Belgium match.

TL;DR

A U.S. player’s red card before the Belgium match turned into a major FIFA controversy after the suspension was reviewed and lifted, with criticism that the decision was politically pressured.