Donald Trump has once again made headlines during the World Cup by defending Harry Kane, whom he referred to as a “golf buddy,” criticizing the decision to have him defend during a crucial phase of the semi-final against Argentina. The former president of the United States did not hold back in his remarks, deeming the strategy employed by English manager Thomas Tuchel as “unusual,” suggesting it may have harmed the team.
The incident occurred during an event at Trump Tower in New York, where Trump hosted Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA. For about half an hour, they discussed various topics related to the World Cup, including the controversial suspension of Folarin Balogun, the American forward who received a red card in the match against Bosnia, which would have sidelined him for the subsequent game against Belgium. Trump confirmed that he called Infantino to intervene in the suspension, saying: “I was forced to call Gianni and make just one recommendation. I said, 'Gianni, I would like to make a recommendation. Let the guy play.' No, I didn't say that. I said, 'I would like to file a complaint.' Actually, I didn't do that, I had no idea what was going to happen, but it is much better how everything was resolved because there is no controversy.”
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Trump praised FIFA's decision, stating that if Balogun had not played, “our team would have said: 'We would have won the game if we had our best players.'” Infantino attempted to downplay his responsibility in the decision, but was almost inaudible.
Regarding England, Trump emphasized his admiration for Harry Kane, lamenting Tuchel's decision: “Harry has been fantastic. I think maybe they made a mistake when they turned him into a defensive player. They were winning, took their best player, and put him in defense. We need to be a bit offensive, right? What do I know about football or coaching? But it was a bit unusual.”
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Infantino, for his part, highlighted that the World Cup “exceeded all expectations” and fulfilled a promise made to Trump in 2018, when he said that America would host the world. “Everyone who came here enjoyed it, and everyone who stayed home enjoyed it too,” he stated, praising the former U.S. president's role as fundamental to the event's success: “This World Cup would not have been such an incredible success without you.”
However, Infantino did not comment on the controversies surrounding the exclusion of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was barred from participating due to suspicions of links to terrorist groups, nor on the difficulties faced by the Iranian team, whose captain Mehdi Taremi described the tournament's organization as a “disaster” due to the visa restrictions imposed.
This meeting reinforces Donald Trump's strong influence and ability to intervene in international sports matters, even after his presidential term, while FIFA continues to capitalize on the organization of the World Cup to assert its global relevance. The controversy surrounding tactical and disciplinary decisions is set to remain at the center of attention until the end of the competition.
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