2 hours ago, Cory1848 said:

Longer term, I know nothing about FIFA; can its leadership be cleared out and replaced?

It's an almost certainty infantino will be re-elected at the next election.

1 hour ago, Watawattana said:

4-1. Well done Belgium. Fifa's corrupt cheating didn't work.

Donny will just announce US won and anyone saying anything different will get DOJ after them...

Everything Trump touches turns to sh*t. A few days ago he said he didn't know what a red card was for. He just likes the clang of his big brass ones hitting together as he calls his lap dog FIFA pres to do his bidding.... and give Donnie more of the attention he craves 24/7.

This put US team in a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation regarding that anchor baby who got the red card. I agree it was questionable, esp if you compare blatant Messi tackle almost identical to Yanks except Messi wasn't going for the ball. And did not even get a warning... but

If US hadn't played him. coach would be roasted for trying to live to standard FIFA does not have. FIFA rescinded red card, albeit in totally corrupt manner due to political influence (somewhere in charter there is condemnation of that).

US did play him, but clear to see they were not of clear minds to focus on the game and it showed. Between a rock and a hard place & Orange Julius put them there

It would have been better to accept loss of star yet keep team focus. Trump almost guaranteed US loss with his meddling. Trump can't see or doesn't care at all about possible ramifications in any and all areas, level of a 4 year old.... Iran war is fine example

Trump famously said in Georgia after 2020 election: "I just want (you) to find 11,780 votes,"

Maybe this time he said: "I just want you to find 4 goals", but it didn't work.

Belgium 4 USA 1. Everything Trump touches dies. All so predictable.

I had intended to watch the game, but I woke up too late — just before 9 o’clock. I hope it was still a beautiful game, despite the ever-present VAR, slow-motion images, ball technology, secret interpretations, and suspended suspensions.

In lawyerland, even the ball may need legal advice.

I personally planted some Dutch gladioli next to the dying ball — a small tribute to the “death or the gladioli” spirit Louis van Gaal referred to so often.

And no, Louis did not eat them for lunch. In America, Louis’ Lunch means something else entirely. 🙂

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

If the USA team beats Belgium it will be a tainted victory.

Trump turns everything he touches into sheit.

Making Americans embarassed again.

It was not the team or the players’ fault. Trump openly tried to change the game, without shame.

At least he gives us some humor

Did anyone not expect this self proclaimed football expert to meddle when all the attention goes to the World Cup and not to him? I was only wondering when and how, but no doubt that it would happen. Thanks moron for giving me some real fun and enjoyment moments.

5 hours ago, animalmagic said:

Asking for a friend - would Balogun be eligible for US citizenship, and playing for the USA, if the planned birthright citizenship law had become law?

Trump intervened for soccer star Balogun, who is a birthright citizen

No.

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

Belgium 4 USA 1. Everything Trump touches dies. All so predictable.

I'm happy the USA lost.

If by some miracle they had made it win the final, it would have forever been a Trump astericks victory.

What a great role model Trump is for American children!

This idea didn't work either!!

I hope Belgium goes on to win it all.

Then Trump would be forced to hand the trophy to them,

The booing would be delicious.

Or perhaps he would have to skip it for a golf date?

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Belgium 4 USA 1. Everything Trump touches dies. All so predictable.

The yanks have never been good. <deleted> sport.

16 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I hope Belgium goes on to win it all.

Then Trump would be forced to hand the trophy to them,

The booing would be delicious.

Or perhaps he would have to skip it for a golf date?

I think that Trump would then speak to Infantino and claim that Belgium only beat the US unfairly and that the US should therefore be considered world champions.

Infantino will, of course, agree with his BFF Don and announce that FIFA have made all matches from the last 16 onwards null and void and proclaim that the US are world champions.

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

It's an almost certainty infantino will be re-elected at the next election.

Sadly you're almost certainly be proved corrected.

Where's Sepp Blatter when you need him?😲🤔

A memorable moment will be when Trump and Infantino appear together at the finals 🤡

I can’t wait for the public reaction when the cameras swipe in their direction. It is so predictable that I doubt it will happen, or they will find a way to avoid showing the «cheering» for those two present.

5 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

As spectators/ viewers even Presidents are entitled to an opinion regarding any aspect of a game of football, or any other sport for that matter. FIFA's involvement the this matter is, however, entirely wrong. They should have left it well alone.

Trump is entitled to his opinion. He is not entitled to interfere directly in order to get a decision made by the match officials overturned.

5 hours ago, James105 said:

I was also getting irritated with the US team constantly being referred to as the "US Mens national team" in commentary for some reason. No other nation needs constant reminders about which gender of their team is playing in the mens world cup.

I rather assumed that was to remind them not to use the female showers...

4 - 1! Laugh, I nearly bought a round. Never mind chaps, there is always the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027, although you will have to get used to not mincing around in body armour!

There is NO LINE drawn under this – it has cast a cloud over the World Cup and FIFA. It has also rendered Trump an international pariah even with those who were not critical of him before – it shows a serious misunderstanding of the importance of football around the world – governments have fallen after a country's poor performance in the World Cup!

It's the World Cup, and the US CHEATED! The fact that it made no difference is irrelevant – although it does show how little Trump understands the game. If it had any effect, it made it more difficult for America, which became the most hated team in the contest as a result of Trump's interference....

List of players to have their red cards overturned (or suspended) at the World Cup, since the card was introduced in 1970:

Florian Balogun

End of list.

16 minutes ago, kwilco said:

it shows a serious misunderstanding of the importance of football around the world – governments have fallen after a country's poor performance in the World Cup!

As shown by this; "he Football War (Spanish: guerra del fútbol), also known as the Soccer War or the 100 Hour War, was a brief military conflict fought between El Salvador and Honduras in 1969. Existing tensions between the two countries coincided with rioting during a 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifier,^[7] hence its nickname. The war began on 14 July 1969 when the Salvadoran military launched an attack against Honduras. The Organization of American States (OAS) negotiated a cease-fire on the night of 18 July. Salvadoran troops were withdrawn in early August."

21 minutes ago, kwilco said:

There is NO LINE drawn under this – it has cast a cloud over the World Cup and FIFA. It has also rendered Trump an international pariah even with those who were not critical of him before – it shows a serious misunderstanding of the importance of football around the world – governments have fallen after a country's poor performance in the World Cup!

It's the World Cup, and the US CHEATED! The fact that it made no difference is irrelevant – although it does show how little Trump understands the game. If it had any effect, it made it more difficult for America, which became the most hated team in the contest as a result of Trump's interference....

List of players to have their red cards overturned (or suspended) at the World Cup, since the card was introduced in 1970:

Florian Balogun

End of list.

He is not the first person to be sent off and then to have that rescinded. It was before the red card was introduced, but there were still players sent off in them days. In 1962 Brazil's Garrincha got reinstated for the Final after being sent off in the semi-final. No Trump around at that time to blame, but FIFA was around - that's the common denominator.

According to what I've read there some bribes flying around that greased that rescinding. NSS. And this Brazilian scandal was arguably worse as Brazil went onto win the World Cup.

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/folarin-balogun-2nd-ever-red-193433742.html

Well, thanks to Trump, we cheated and we still lost. As an American, I am disgusted with Trump's actions. What a total disgrace to the country. I thought it was fake news but apparently he did say that if the US lost he would claim we lost due to cheating, just like the 2020 election. The only cheating, not to mention lying, as always, is from Trump.

16 hours ago, Watawattana said:

He is not the first person to be sent off and then to have that rescinded. It was before the red card was introduced, but there were still players sent off in them days. In 1962 Brazil's Garrincha got reinstated for the Final after being sent off in the semi-final. No Trump around at that time to blame, but FIFA was around - that's the common denominator.

According to what I've read there some bribes flying around that greased that rescinding. NSS. And this Brazilian scandal was arguably worse as Brazil went onto win the World Cup.

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/folarin-balogun-2nd-ever-red-193433742.html

Times have changed. It's an automatic suspension for his red card. Whether the red card was justified or not is irrelevant to the matter: trump interfering and infantino giving in to him.

24 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Times have changed. It's an automatic suspension for his red card. Whether the red card was justified or not is irrelevant to the matter: trump interfering and infantino giving in to him.

Having seen the incident 'live', and the replays, it was so very obviously a red card offence, and maybe a 1-match band should have been at the lower end of the punishment/deterance scale. Trump making a call should have been a waste of his time; Infantino should have rejected the approach. FIFA - corrupt to the core and have been since at least 1962!

On 7/6/2026 at 8:53 PM, greeneking said:

If there was some integrity in football at this level.

I don't think there is.

Like deep throat said "Follow the money"

Worst thing is Trump's sticking his ignorant foot in it nearly guaranteed US would lose. Focus?