Thomas Tuchel questions FIFA after Folarin Balogun avoids World Cup suspension

Balogun, who was dismissed following a VAR review in the Americans' clash with Bosnia-Herzegovina, would normally have been ruled out of Tuesday's last-16 meeting with Belgium.

Instead, football's governing body invoked a provision in its disciplinary code enabling it to fully or partly suspend a sanction, leaving the striker eligible for selection.

Tuchel argued the move has created uncertainty over how disciplinary regulations are being interpreted, describing the decision as unprecedented since automatic suspensions for red cards were introduced at the World Cup.

He also noted that the ruling appears to contradict tournament regulations, which state that any player sent off must miss their country's next match.

The issue arose after Tuchel was asked whether England would challenge the suspension of defender Jarell Quansah, who was dismissed after a VAR review during the 3-2 win over Mexico.

"Where does this start and where does this end now?" Tuchel said. "Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What's going on?

"Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that.

"Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end? It's my question. I don't have an answer."

"I think first of all, to be very clear, that it [Balogun] was not a red card," he added.

"But VAR got involved and obviously three people from VAR and the referee checked it were then of the opinion that it was a red card, so the decision is made.

"Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds? And how far does this go now? It's just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions.

"So, is our yellow card after the first minute against Declan Rice… we can now debate endlessly. I think it is not a yellow card. Do we get this back?

"Does France get the yellow card back for [Michael] Olise which was not a yellow card? Where does this end? Where does it stop?

"I don't know the rules. I am the wrong person to ask. I will wait and see what's coming."

England meet Norway in Saturday's quarter-final, while Quansah became the tournament's 13th player sent off. Every other dismissed player, apart from Balogun, has served at least a one-match ban.