Legendary German goalkeeper asks FIFA for replay of World Cup final after Baligun incident

Legendary Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has mocked FIFA following their controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's disciplinary ban, suggesting the governing body should retroactively clear Michael Ballack and replay the 2002 World Cup final.

The United States forward received a straight red card during a 2-0 round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1. However, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code to suspend the automatic one-match ban, controversially clearing him to face Belgium in the round of 16.

While Balogun’s inclusion in the tie ultimately proved inconsequential as he played nearly 90 minutes in Belgium's 4–1 drinking of the USMNT, the backlash from the decision has not ceased. 

Kahn, who started in goal for Germany at the 2002 World Cup final took aim at the unprecedented leniency. 

"If we're rewriting football history now, I have a small suggestion: I'd like FIFA to rescind the yellow card shown to Michael Ballack in the 2002 World Cup semifinal, the one that ruled him out of the final," Kahn said on X. "And while we're at it, we might as well replay the final against Brazil."

The 57-year-old former goalkeeper referenced one of the most famous tactical fouls in international football history. During the 2002 World Cup semi-final against host nation South Korea on June 25, 2002, Ballack committed a deliberate foul on Lee Chun-soo in the 71st minute to halt a dangerous counterattack.

Swiss referee Urs Meier issued a yellow card. Since Ballack had already been booked against Paraguay in the round of 16, the caution triggered an automatic suspension for the final. Knowing his tournament was over, Ballack remained on the pitch and scored the winning goal four minutes later to secure a 1-0 victory for Germany.

Without their primary playmaker, Germany were completely toothless in the final at the International Stadium Yokohama on June 30, 2002. Brazil secured a 2-0 victory, courtesy of a second-half brace from Ronaldo. That victory stands to date as the last time Brazil won the FIFA World Cup.

Despite a glaring handling error that gifted Ronaldo his opening goal in the final, Kahn was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the 2002 tournament. He secured 25 percent of the media vote to edge out Ronaldo, becoming the first and only goalkeeper in history to win the award.

Kahn's playful demand for a replay invites an interesting hypothetical scenario. If the two legendary squads faced off today, the athletic intensity would be entirely non-existent.

A 57-year-old Kahn would be barking orders from his penalty area at a 49-year-old Ballack. They would be tasked with stopping a 49-year-old Ronaldo and a 54-year-old Rivaldo, while a 56-year-old Cafu attempted to make overlapping runs down the right flank.