Rudi Garcia discusses Balogun case and reveals details of his negotiations with Manchester United and his experience with Ronaldo

French coach Rudi Garcia has revealed intriguing details about his involvement with the Belgium national team at the 2026 World Cup, discussing the controversy surrounding FIFA's decision to lift the suspension of Folarin Balogun, the United States national team striker. He also reflected on his experience coaching Cristiano Ronaldo and shared details of his interviews for the Manchester United managerial position.

García, in an interview with The Athletic, stated that the decision to overturn the red card received by Baljoun against Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing him to participate against Belgium in the Round of 16, was extremely surprising. He explained: "When the sporting director told me about the possibility of overturning the red card, I thought it was a joke, but it turned out to be real."

He added: "Sport and politics are usually separate, and sports issues should remain within the sports framework." The decision came after a phone call made by US President Donald Trump with Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, in a development that sparked widespread controversy.

The French coach emphasized that he asked his players not to dwell on the decision and to focus on the match, pointing out that Balogun is a good striker, but he did not see his participation as a significant advantage for the United States, especially since Belgium had previously defeated the American national team by a score of 5-2 in a friendly match last March, before reaffirming their dominance in the World Cup with a 4-1 victory.

He continued: "Perhaps the decision gave the United States a slight psychological advantage, but if we score the first goal, their players will still remember that we scored five goals against them previously. Looking at what happened, it was not right to open this door and allow the cancellation of a regular red card; the rules should be the same for everyone."

Roberto García discussed Belgium's exit against Spain in the quarter-finals, highlighting the difficult circumstances his team faced before the match. Yuri Tielemans suffered a hamstring injury during the warm-up and was unable to participate, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to leave the pitch in the 72nd minute. Additionally, Amadou Onana sustained a tear in one of his knee ligaments during the match against the United States.

García praised the strength of the Spanish national team, explaining that regaining possession against them is extremely difficult due to the quality of their players in possession and pressing. He also pointed out that they have an exceptional midfield featuring Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, and Pedri, confirming that he devised a special plan to limit Rodri's threat. He stated that his team delivered a good tactical performance, but they were unable to secure victory.

The coach also revealed his pride in his Spanish roots, explaining that three of his grandparents come from Spain and left the country during the Spanish Civil War, moving to the Ardennes region in France. He added that he received many messages from his friends and family in Spain during the tournament, considering that facing the Spanish national team held special significance for him.

In discussing his former goalkeeper, Senny Lamens, who made an error against Spain after coming on for Courtois, Garcia expressed his strong confidence in his abilities, noting that he visited him in Manchester before the World Cup and talked to him about the nature of playing in a Manchester United shirt and the pressures that come with it.

He said: "Lamens is a young goalkeeper who needs to develop, but he has great potential and will be one of the best goalkeepers in the future. He is very calm and does not panic, he reads situations well, handles aerial balls and one-on-one situations effectively, and has good quality in dealing with the ball at his feet."

Garcia also spoke about Leandro Trossard's move from Arsenal to Turkish side Beşiktaş last summer, expressing his surprise at the choice, although he confirmed his respect for the Turkish league. He stated that the player possesses the quality to play for a team capable of competing for the UEFA Champions League title.

Regarding the connection of his name with the management of Manchester United in 2021, García revealed that he had two interviews with the club's officials and was among the final candidates to take on the interim role before Ralph Rangnick was chosen.

He said: "I had two interviews to work at this wonderful club, which is one of the biggest clubs in the world. I want to work in England, and I met Darren Fletcher, who was the head coach, and John Murtough, the sporting director at the time. They asked me what I would do after the interim job ended, and I told them that I would do a very good job that would make me stay at Manchester, but they chose Rangnick."

The French coach has reflected on his experience with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, after the Portuguese star joined the team in January 2023, confirming that working with him has been very easy, both technically and personally.

"Ronaldo is a great player, and everyone knows that, but he is also a good person and an exceptional professional. When you see him living his emotions, you realize that he lives for football. I discovered this when I watched him in training; he was the first to arrive and the last to leave, and he celebrated the small competitions we organize in training as if he had won the Champions League."

Regarding his coaching philosophy, García explained that he prefers teams with an attacking mindset that dominate possession, distributing the goal-scoring responsibility among several players rather than relying on a single striker. However, he emphasized the need to adapt to the circumstances of each match.

He confirmed that the human aspect is the foundation of his approach to dealing with players, stating: "The relationship with the player is the most important; they are not just players, but men as well. You must know them, talk to them, understand their problems, and help them when you can, and deal with them positively and in a good atmosphere."

García concluded his remarks by recalling his achievement with Lyon against Manchester City in the 2020 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, when he led his team to victory despite the opponent boasting a host of stars. He noted that he relied on a group of young talents, including Maxence Caqueret, Houssem Aouar, and Bruno Guimarães, along with Rayan Cherki, who was just 16 years old at the time, emphasizing that this experience was a great privilege that he hopes to replicate.