Trump's World Cup meddling was a culprit in brutal U.S. exit
Los Angeles Times • • sports
Key Points:
- President Trump intervened by calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to get American striker Folarin Balogun’s red card rescinded, a rare successful overturn of a decision, as the card was deemed unjust.
- The U.S. men's soccer team lost 4-1 to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16, ending their hopes of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, despite previous strong performances.
- The team downplayed the political controversy surrounding the red card incident, stating that outside distractions did not affect their performance against Belgium.
- Key moments included Christian Pulisic’s injury and a critical mistake by goalkeeper Matt Freese, which contributed to the heavy defeat.
- The article suggests FIFA consider implementing a formal appeals process for disciplinary cards, similar to systems in major American sports leagues, to improve fairness in crucial matches.
