Trump's World Cup 'interference' fuels memes after US loss to Belgium

A wave of online parodies has targeted U.S. President Donald Trump following the American men's soccer team's decisive 4-1 defeat against Belgium in the World Cup. The memes and satirical content emerged after reports surfaced of Trump allegedly intervening in FIFA's decision to suspend U.S. forward Folarin Balogun.

These online creations humorously depict Trump attempting to manipulate the game's outcome. One widely shared AI-generated image shows Trump on the phone with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, asking him to change the scoreline. Another meme references Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 2012 UN speech about Iran's nuclear program, with an altered image suggesting Trump is warning about Belgium's "nuclear development."

Belgian player Romelu Lukaku's goal celebration, a dance to the YMCA song, was also incorporated into the mockery. The Belgian national team's Instagram account posted a photo of Lukaku with the caption "Try to overturn this too," seemingly directed at Trump. Critics, like Senator Alex Padilla, have described Trump as having "the reverse Midas touch," implying his involvement leads to negative outcomes, a sentiment echoed in the viral online content.