Trump's call to Infantino lifts US striker's World Cup ban, then Belgium routs the Americans
After Donald Trump phoned FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review, a red card suspension for US forward Folarin Balogun was lifted. Belgium then thrashed the United States, delivering what Spanish commentators called poetic justice.
The red card and the phone call
US forward Folarin Balogun was sent off during a World Cup match, triggering an automatic one-game suspension under FIFA rules. President Donald Trump then contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino directly, asking for the decision to be reviewed. The call, which Trump later acknowledged, set off a chain of events that has drawn sharp criticism from sports officials and political commentators alike.
FIFA's controversial decision
FIFA suspended the sanction by invoking Article 27 of its disciplinary code, a provision that allows temporary stays of certain penalties. The move permitted Balogun to play in the next fixture, despite the red card normally being an immediate and unappealable sanction. Critics argue the article was never intended for on-field expulsions, and the decision has reignited long-standing doubts about the governing body's vulnerability to political pressure.
Donald Trump is not the cause of anything, he is the consequence of everything.
Belgium's victory and poetic justice
In the match that followed, Belgium defeated the United States by a wide margin. Spanish newspaper El Confidencial described the result as poetic justice, noting that the on-field outcome undercut any perceived advantage gained through the intervention. The loss eliminated the US from the tournament and, according to the same outlet, put both Trump and Infantino "in their place."
- US forward Folarin Balogun receives a red card in a World Cup match, triggering an automatic one-game suspension.
- President Donald Trump contacts FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review of the red card.
- FIFA invokes Article 27 to temporarily lift the suspension, allowing Balogun to play the next match.
- Belgium beats the United States by a wide margin, eliminating the Americans from the tournament.
Broader implications
Journalist Gabi Sanz, writing in Voxpopuli, argued that the episode reflects a deeper shift in how the United States projects power. He linked Trump's approach to a decline in American soft power and a turn toward imposition and confrontation. "We laugh a lot because it's meme material, but this is very dangerous," Sanz said, warning that when rules are no longer respected and the law of the strongest prevails, "absolute chaos is the greatest injustice."
NATO summit backdrop
The controversy unfolded as NATO leaders gathered in Ankara for a summit hosted by Secretary General Mark Rutte. Trump is expected to press allies to raise military spending to 5% of GDP, while Spain, among others, defends the current 2% target. Spanish commentators noted that the football row is likely to be a topic of conversation in the corridors, alongside the formal agenda.
