Trump Criticizes Kane Role, Defends Balogun Lobbying
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- Donald Trump criticized Harry Kane's second-half 'defensive' role in England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina, saying 'they took their best player and put him on defence' during a reception at Trump Tower on Friday
- Thomas Tuchel brushed off Trump's tactical criticisms at a post-match news conference, while Argentina scored two late goals to set up a Sunday final against Spain (20:00 BST)
- Trump revealed he personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to lobby over Folarin Balogun's red card, saying he 'waged a complaint' after the US striker was banned for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemovic
- FIFA shocked observers by suspending Balogun's automatic one-match ban for 12 months, allowing him to play in the last-16 tie against Belgium — a decision Infantino has insisted was made independently of Trump's lobbying
- Trump thanked Infantino and called the US/Mexico/Canada World Cup 'the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world,' while Infantino said 'we united the world in America'
- FIFA is predicted to bring in record revenues of $9bn this year, and Infantino looks certain to win re-election next year despite controversies over ticket costs, hydration breaks, visa issues, and the Balogun case
Why it matters: Trump's public admission of contacting Infantino over Balogun's ban undermines Infantino's claim that FIFA's disciplinary process is independent, reinforcing suspicions of political interference in the competition. With FIFA on track for $9bn in revenues and Infantino positioned for re-election, the organization has little incentive to address concerns that its close relationship with the US president weakens its commitment to political neutrality.
