Trump Defends FIFA’s Reversal for Balogun: ‘It’s Like Removing Messi’

United States President Donald Trump has explained why he urged FIFA to review Folarin Balogun’s red card ahead of the 2026 World Cup round of 16. He said he didn’t see a deliberate foul, but rather two players colliding, and left the final call to the disciplinary committee. Trump argued the original red card gave referees too much power and compared sidelining Balogun to removing stars like Messi, Ronaldo or Kane for minor incidents. He insisted his remarks were just an opinion and that the committee made the decision independently. Critics have accused FIFA president Gianni Infantino of yielding to White House pressure. The debate adds to existing scrutiny over Infantino’s ties to Trump, including a peace prize awarded last year and US immigration policies affecting the tournament.

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