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Trump confirms asking FIFA to reconsider Balogun's red card
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Sports

Trump confirms asking FIFA to reconsider Balogun's red card

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of a red card issued to American forward Folarin Balogun.
  • Trump stated he believed the foul was not warranted and called the referee's decision unfair and suspicious.
  • The intervention aimed to allow Balogun to play in the U.S. team's World Cup match against Belgium.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that he personally intervened in a World Cup match, calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a reconsideration of a red card issued to American forward Folarin Balogun.

I asked that it be reconsidered because I did not think it was a foul.

— Donald TrumpTrump explained his reasoning for contacting FIFA regarding the red card issued to Folarin Balogun.

Trump stated that he asked for the card to be reviewed because he did not believe the foul was justified. The U.S. president described the rules surrounding the red card as "unfair" and cast suspicion on the Brazilian referee, Raphael Claus, who sent Balogun off after the player stepped on an opponent's ankle during a match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The rules on the red card were unfair.

— Donald TrumpTrump expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating and the application of the rules during the match.

The intervention was intended to allow Balogun to participate in the United States' World Cup game against Belgium. The article notes that Balogun was seen leaving the field after receiving the red card during the Round of 16 match on July 1, 2026, in San Francisco, California.

The referee's past was very suspicious.

— Donald TrumpTrump questioned the integrity or judgment of the referee, Raphael Claus, who made the controversial call.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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