Star forward Folarin Balogun was named in the United States’ starting lineup for the high-voltage World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium on Tuesday, taking the pitch just hours after FIFA rejected an official European appeal in a controversy that has completely divided the sports world.Balogun was slapped with an automatic one-match ban after receiving a straight red card for stepping on an opponent’s ankle during the Americans’ 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, after a personal phone call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the disciplinary committee of the governing body made the unusual decision to suspend the ban for a year, allowing the striker to play.Global Backlash and Protest:The highly controversial decision sparked outrage across European football. European governing body UEFA launched a scathing attack on the decision, labeling it “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustified.” In a desperate bid to stop the striker from playing, the Royal Belgian Football Association filed an official appeal to reinstate the suspension. However, FIFA’s appeals committee abruptly rejected the request, ruling that the Belgian federation lacked the proper legal standing to challenge the disciplinary committee’s selection.The tense political drama spilled onto the streets of Seattle before kickoff. Angry Belgian supporters marched on Lumen Field chanting “FIFA Mafia” to protest what they saw as unfair political interference. In an attempt to cool down the situation, Infantino publicly stated that he had no personal role in the decision of the independent disciplinary committee. The committee also fined Balogun 40,000 dollars, a penalty that will be cleared by the US Soccer Federation.Quarter-Final bets:Balogun’s inclusion is a huge boost for the tournament’s co-hosts, as his three goals now top the American scoring charts. History is on the line for the United States team, which has never won consecutive knockout-stage games in World Cup history.The match offers a chance for revenge, as Belgium famously eliminated the Americans at this exact time period in the 2014 edition. The winner of this hotly contested match will advance to face Spain on Friday in Inglewood, California, for a spot in the semi-finals.