SEATTLE — FIFA made a dramatic discipline change for just the second time in its history, clearing the way for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play in Monday’s elimination game with Belgium.

The rare move drew celebration from the U.S. players who felt Balogun’s red card was unjust and drew outrage from the Belgium team and others protective of the integrity of the laws of soccer.

FIFA, the global governing body for soccer and the organizer of the World Cup, announced Sunday morning that the one-game suspension given to Balogun for a dangerous challenge that could have injured an opponent in last week’s win over Bosnia-Herzegovina would be held in abeyance, making him eligible to play in what is arguably the team’s most important game in at least a generation.

It was the first time FIFA has rescinded a red-card suspension during a World Cup in 64 years.

The Belgium team immediately protested the decision, with the country’s soccer federation saying it was “astonished” by the ruling and was “investigating all potential options” to block it and “safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair in our sport.”

It was unclear what those options might be.

“I didn’t know the game was being played on April Fool’s Day rather than July 6,” Belgian coach Rudi Garcia said. “We’re not defending the national team or federation. We are defending football.”

President Trump celebrated the reversal on his social media platform.

“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” the president wrote.

Multiple media outlets, citing unnamed people familiar with the conversation, said Trump spoke personally with FIFA president Gianni Infantino last week and asked him to rescind the red card.

Balogun, born to Nigerian parents who live in England, is only eligible to play for the U.S. through birthright citizenship, a principle Trump unsuccessfully asked the Supreme Court to overturn last month.

FIFA reportedly responded to media outlets reporting Trump’s intervention by insisting this decision was solely made by the disciplinary committee and the president’s overtures had no impact on the decision in favor of the World Cup co-hosts.

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino also hailed the decision, saying the U.S. had been penalized enough for Balogun’s actions by having to play the final half hour of the Bosnia game with just 10 men.

“My reaction is like everyone that really loves that sport and trusts the ethic[s] and integrity. We celebrate that decision,” he said. “We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina. One hundred percent or maybe 99% agree there was an unfair red card.”

FIFA ultimately agreed, suspending the disqualification Sunday.

“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” it wrote in a statement. “If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

FIFA made a similar decision last fall after Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo was given a straight red card and a three-game international ban after swinging an elbow at Irish defender Dara O’Shea during a World Cup qualifying match. But Ronaldo, unlike Balogun, sat out a game, missing a qualifier with Armenia, before FIFA converted the rest of the penalty into a one-year probation, making the Portuguese captain eligible to play in all of his team’s World Cup matches.

Sunday’s decision was comparable to a 1962 ruling allowing Brazilian attacker Garrincha to play in the World Cup final after high-level political figures — including Prime Minister Tancredo Neves — petitioned FIFA to overturn or drop the suspension. Garrincha, who tied for the scoring lead with four goals and was named the best player of that tournament, had been sent off in the semifinal after kicking Chile’s Eladio Rojas.

Brazil, with Garrincha, defeated Czechoslovakia 3-1 in the title game.

Balogun was given the red card early in the second half of last week’s round of 16 game with Bosnia-Herzegovina following a collision with Tarik Muharemovic. When the Bosnian defender planted his right leg below Balogun’s right foot, the American inadvertently stomped on his right ankle, twisting it awkwardly.

Both players went down, but Brazilian referee Raphael Claus did not initially penalize either. After the video assistant referee urged him to watch a replay, however, Claus walked away from the monitor and flashed the red card at Balogun, a judgment many immediately deemed overly harsh.

For teammate Christian Pulisic, Sunday’s ruling was justice.

“It just feels right,” he said. “If you look at the foul, it’s zero intent. There were much worse ones that went on this tournament.

“He’s our leading scorer in the tournament. He’s a big part of this team. So of course you want a guy like that around.”

Balogun and the U.S. team are on a record run in this tournament.

No American since 1930 had scored three times in a World Cup while the U.S.‘s win over Bosnia was its first in a World Cup knockout game since 2002. It was also its third win overall in this tournament, the most ever for the Americans in a single World Cup, and Balogun has either scored or set up the game-winning goal in all three victories.

Balogun action’s after the foul may also have inspired FIFA’s leniency. After the final whistle of the Bosnia game, he walked to the center of the field and shook hands with Claus, then politely took ownership of the incident in his first public remarks two days later.

“I think a yellow card would have been fair,” he said last Friday. “[But] it’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward, and I have to accept it.”

Pulisic applauded his teammate’s humility.

“Balo handled it so well, and I think the team handled it well,” he said. “We weren’t here to complain. You have to handle it in a good way, and you know good things happen.”

While they felt it was just, the news startled U.S. players.

U.S. defender Chris Richards said they heard Balogun was cleared to play while on the team bus, heading to a morning training session at the University of Washington and at first thought it was an AI spoof.

“We found out through social media,” Richards said Sunday. “There’s a lot of people posting a lot of stuff, so we weren’t sure if it was true or not.”

U.S. Soccer, which had remained engaged with FIFA since the suspension, issued a statement lauding the adjustment to Balogun’s penalty.

“We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow,” it read in part. “Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium.”

The controversy surrounding FIFA’s decision is sure to linger.

Former French star and Belgium assistant coach Thierry Henry, who now works as a Fox analyst, said he agreed with reversing the red card, but the timing was crushing for a Belgium team that had prepared to face the U.S. without its top goal scorer.

“I do not think it was a red card,” Henry said during the Fox broadcast. “We all said it. We all know he did not do that on purpose. We all know that. If you’re Belgium, to prepare the game, it does change everything.

“OK, it is the right call, but why so late? Why didn’t it happen straight away?”