US President Donald Trump has said FIFA president Gianni Infantino made the right decision by suspending the red card shown to US striker Folarin Balogun ahead of the United States’ Round of 16 match against Belgium at the FIFA World Cup, a game the Americans eventually lost 4-1.Trump made the remarks during a reception at Trump Tower before a FIFA Council meeting on Friday, two days ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final.Trump and Infantino walked onto the stage as Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA played through the speakers. The two stood at the podium for more than two minutes until the song ended before beginning their speeches.Both spoke about the tournament’s success, highlighting attendances and television viewership. Infantino thanked Trump for his support in hosting the event.“You put on the greatest human social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed,” Infantino said.During his speech, Trump again referred to what he described as the “stolen” 2020 US presidential election, following his televised address in which he made unverified claims that China had interfered in the election.“I said, you know, I was supposed to not be here right now. I was supposed to be president for eight years,” Trump said, referring to the fact that if he had won the 2020 election, he would have left office before the 2026 World Cup.“The polls showed it. Everyone showed it. They rigged the election. And what did I get? I got the World Cup. I got the Olympics. And I brought them here.”Trump then turned his attention to the United States men’s national team and Balogun’s disciplinary case.“You had unforgettable moments, like probably the most unforgettable is when they gave that gentleman [a red card],” Trump said.“And I was forced to call Gianni and just make a recommendation. I said, Gianni, I’d like to make a recommendation. Let the guy in the game. No, I didn’t say that. I said, I’d like to wage a complaint. And actually, I had no idea what was going to happen.”Balogun’s one-match suspension was lifted before the Belgium match, allowing him to play, although the United States were eliminated after a 4-1 defeat.Trump said the outcome removed any debate over whether the suspension had influenced the result.“You know, it’s so much better … because there’s no controversy,” he said.“They won the game, and our team had all of its players. Think of it, if he didn’t allow him, they’d say: ‘We would have won the game if we had our best players.’ So Gianni made yet another of his many good decisions.”Towards the end of the event, Trump said he would like the United States to host another FIFA World Cup in the future.“This time we’ll leave Mexico and Canada out,” he said, drawing laughter from those attending the reception.
