Ronaldinho is part of an exclusive group featuring Zinedine Zidane after USMNT star Folarin Balogun scored and received a red card in the same World Cup knockout match on 2026.
What happened?
Folarin Balogun fired the USMNT into the World Cup knockout stages with his third goal of the tournament before a red card cut his night short.
Why it matters for Ronaldinho
By scoring and receiving a red card, Balogun became only the fourth player to achieve the feat, joining an exclusive list featuring Garrincha, Ronaldinho, and Zinedine Zidane.
What comes next?
The United States now prepare to face Belgium without their top scorer, with Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright among the options to lead the attack.
The USMNT secured their place in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mauricio Pochettino's side sealed the win through Malik Tillman's superb direct free-kick, making him the second American player after Eric Wynalda to score directly from a free-kick at a World Cup.
Balogun's dismissal leaves the US without their leading scorer for the upcoming match, but the squad remains confident it has the depth to cope with his absence.
Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards reflected on Balogun's place in World Cup history after the match, saying "Pretty cool record, huh?"
The US will hope that squad depth can again prove decisive as they chase a place in the quarter-finals, with their last-16 showdown against Belgium set to take place in Seattle.
The United States must find a way to replace their top scorer, with Pepi and Wright among the options to lead the attack, on 2026.