Trump's phone call to Infantino and FIFA's political bending of World Cup rules

I harshly gloss the unprecedented attack on sporting integrity that has taken place at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup. US President Donald Trump has openly admitted that he personally phoned FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to challenge the red card for US top scorer Folarin Balogun in the previous match. The FIFA Disciplinary Commission then, under political pressure, bypassed the automatic one-game suspension for the first time since 1962 and suspended the punishment for the American striker before the crucial round of 16. The move drew strong international criticism from both UEFA and the Belgian Football Association. In the end, however, football justice prevailed directly on the turf - Belgium ("les Diables Rouges") outclassed the United States 4:1 in the round of 16 and sent the home team home from the tournament. The historical parallel with the World Cup in Italy in 1934 under the baton of Benito Mussolini only proves that FIFA's top officials tend to subordinate the rules of the game to the interests of powerful political figures and host countries regardless of the purity of the sport.

♡Srdíčko☆Save article

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