The intervention of former President Donald Trump with FIFA to overturn the red card issued to forward Folarin Balogun continues to generate controversy months after the 2026 World Cup. During a reception at Trump Tower, Trump stated that he was “forced” to call FIFA President Gianni Infantino to “make a recommendation,” although he admitted he did not know what would happen next.
The incident occurred before the round of 16 match between the United States and Belgium, in which Balogun was initially sent off but later allowed to play after the suspension of the punishment. Trump defended Infantino, stating that he “deserves credit” for the decision that allowed the forward to be on the field, despite the USMNT losing 4-1. “They won the game and our team had all its players. It was a great decision,” declared the former U.S. president.
According to reports, the suspension of the red card was a decision made exclusively by the president of FIFA's disciplinary committee, Mohammad al-Kamali, without consulting the other members. This episode was one of the highlights in Trump's statements, where he also criticized the England team's strategy in the semi-final against Argentina. The former president considered it a mistake to place Harry Kane, England's captain, in a defensive position, even though he had played golf with the forward shortly before the match.
Trump also praised the success of the World Cup in terms of viewership and attendance, highlighting that the tournament held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada broke attendance records even before the knockout stage began. The former leader expressed ambition for the United States to host the competition again, this time as the sole host country, without co-hosting with Mexico and Canada.
In an alleged conversation with Infantino and other FIFA officials, Trump suggested that the organization should choose the United States for the 2034 World Cup exclusively, unlike the 2026 edition. Infantino reportedly proposed, as an alternative, a joint bid between the United States and China, arguing that it would facilitate shorter travel distances between matches and would be more appealing to players.
O MUNDIAL 2026 VIVE-SE COM A LEGO
It is worth noting that the 2030 World Cup will be jointly organized by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, while the 2034 edition has already been awarded to Saudi Arabia. Trump's ambition to secure exclusive hosting rights for the U.S. raises expectations for future negotiations within FIFA and among the involved federations.
AGORA PODE ACOMPANHAR O MUNDIAL DE FUTEBOL COM TODA INFORMAÇÃO – AQUI
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