Folarin Balogun coaches referee through stretches after official cramps up during USA vs Australia match

The U.S. Men’s National Team is 2-0 at the 2026 World Cup after a gutsy 2-0 win over the Socceroos that certainly wasn’t easy at times.

Not even for the officials.

It was a hot day in Seattle, and it looks like that may have been a factor in German referee Felix Zwayer going down momentarily late in the game with what looked like a cramp.

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FIFA referee Felix Zwayer gets some help from Australia’s Aiden O’Neil and the USMNT’s Folarin Balogun after going down with what appeared to be cramps. (Photo by Ercin Erturk/Anadolu via Getty Images)

And, in a scene you don’t see every day, got a little assistance from Australia’s Aiden O’Neill and U.S. star Folarin Balogun — who scored two goals in the opener against Paraguay and opened the scoring against Australia by setting up an own goal from Cameron Burgess — who coached him through some stretches.

Now, that’s not something you see every day…

Zwayer was back on his feet after stretching with the help of Balogun and FIFA medical staff, plus another official ran over with a mystery liquid — judging by his reaction, I’m thinking it was maybe pickle juice — that he gulped down.

I’m sure Zwayer was a little embarrassed having to go down on the field and have an anti-cramp potion rushed out to him, but he shouldn’t be.

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All that was was a reminder of how insanely fit soccer referees have to be.

FIFA ref Felix Zwayer going down with cramps was a reminder of just how physically demanding being a soccer referee is. (Photo by Sarah Stier – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Referees running many miles every single game is one of the fun facts you hear from time to time and then forget about until the next time you hear it, then you say, “Yeah, that’s right, I did hear that somewhere.”

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Well, there’s a prime example of the physicality involved with the job.

It’s not just jotting notes on the back of a card you just held in some dude’s face.