Soccer: Trump and Infantino praise each other

FIFA President Gianni Infantino lauded U.S. President Donald Trump at Trump Tower, describing the World Cup as the "greatest social event humanity has ever witnessed." Infantino presented Trump with the "FIFA Peace Award" last year and credited him for contributing to a "safe, secure, and joyful environment" for the tournament.

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This World Cup would not have been such an incredible success without you. Your administration, every person in the White House, in the administration, in the cities and states, was contributing to a safe, secure, and joyful environment.

During their joint appearance, Trump recounted a conversation he had with Infantino regarding a red card issued to player Folarin Balogun. Trump stated he called Infantino to "recommend" that Balogun be allowed to play, implying his intervention led to the suspension being overturned. "Then you made another good decision," Trump told Infantino, praising the reversal.

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This is not just the best World Cup ever. This is the greatest social event that humanity has ever witnessed. We are all part of it. Thank you very much for that, Mr. President.

However, Infantino has previously asserted that Trump's call had no bearing on FIFA's disciplinary committee's decision. He also maintained that he himself does not influence the decisions of FIFA's independent disciplinary bodies.

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Perhaps the most unforgettable was when they gave one gentleman, is it now a red card? I was forced to call Gianni. I made a recommendation. I said, 'Gianni, I want to recommend you let that guy play!'

The World Cup final is set to take place on Sunday between France and Spain. Trump and Infantino are scheduled to present the championship trophy to the winning team. Trump also commented on the semifinal matches, noting the unexpected losses of favorites France and England, drawing parallels to life's unpredictable nature.

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Then you made another good decision.