General Discussion

malaise

(300,084 posts)

3. If that happened they should be banned - effin madness

Reply to moonshinegnomie (Original post)

Sun Jul 5, 2026, 06:14 PM

Sunday

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/05/folarin-balogun-red-card-suspension-lifted-usmnt-belgium-

Trump lobbied Fifa to lift Folarin Balogun suspension for World Cup game v Belgium

Fifa announced suspension of ban earlier on Sunday
Belgian FA ‘astonished’ by decision
Matt Hughes, Paul MacInnes and Alexander Abnos in Seattle
Sun 5 Jul 2026 23.01 BST

President Donald Trump lobbied Fifa to lift the US striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban for a red card received in the team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, preceding Sunday’s stunning announcement that he would be available for the cohosts’ last-16 clash against Belgium in Seattle on Monday night.

Sources have told the Guardian that Trump made three calls to Fifa, starting from Wednesday last week, to ensure that the change was made.

Malik Tillman celebrates his goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Steely USA overcome Bosnia and Herzegovina and controversial red to reach World Cup last 16

The decision gives the US a huge boost on the field as they attempt to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002. Balogun has been a constant threat for the US so far this tournament, and has scored three goals in three starts.

Fifa has been approached for comment. Donald Trump thanked football’s world governing body for suspending the red card. “Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

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This is absolutely unacceptable

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the us should be banned form the world cup [View all] moonshinegnomie Sunday OP

Careful, FIFA.... Blue Owl Sunday #1

Everything he touches, gets ruined. C Moon Sunday #45

You don't know much about FIFA do you sarisataka Sunday #48

Oh. I don't know much at all about. Pretty much nothing. C Moon Sunday #59

It is the beautiful game sarisataka Sunday #60

What I'd like to know is: oberle Sunday #65

I would say the similar about basketball sarisataka Sunday #67

Would anyone watch basketball if the players only shot the ball ten times a game? MichMan Monday #84

What is the hitting percentage in baseball? sarisataka Monday #96

A .300 batting average was always the standard MichMan Monday #119

Baseball may be the second most popular sport sarisataka Monday #120

It would probably be different without a shot clock AZProgressive Monday #122

If one knows the history of the shot clock that is a good comparison sarisataka Monday #123

Or American football Jilly_in_VA Monday #109

American football mcar Sunday #69

I like American football, however kairos12 Monday #80

And steroids. peppertree Monday #128

I can't stand the fake diving from ALL the players. ... aggiesal Monday #129

According to my serious international soccer friends popsdenver Monday #131

does not say much about fifa either rampartd Sunday #2

Well, fifa is one of the most corrupt organizations around. Why niyad Sunday #43

If that happened they should be banned - effin madness malaise Sunday #3

I thought it was a ridiculous call.... SergeStorms Monday #103

Football is the most popular sport on the planet malaise Monday #104

Agreed. SergeStorms Monday #116

Should Portugal be banned? mcar Sunday #4

under fifa rules moonshinegnomie Sunday #5

Not the USMNT's fault mcar Sunday #20

Go Belgium rpannier Sunday #33

Ga ga Belgie! AllyCat Sunday #42

I have to agree..the odds of defeating. thomski64 Sunday #44

Remember the US Men's Olympic Hockey Team The Grand Illuminist Monday #85

That circumstance will remain purely hypothetical: on an outside chance, the US might just be able to defeat . . . xocetaceans Monday #130

Sure. Rooting against America is a great move. Happy Hoosier Sunday #47

You can root for the US and I will be cheering on Belgium rpannier Sunday #49

Do what you want... Happy Hoosier Sunday #52

That's a poor attitude The Revolution Sunday #73

Oh, Balogun's the "anchor baby" star. I didn't know Ilsa Sunday #77

If you say so rpannier Monday #83

This struck me too. BlueMTexpat Monday #93

How special BuddhaGirl Monday #99

They are cheating. Right? Don't you feel this is cheating? AllyCat Sunday #57

No. The red card was bullshit... Happy Hoosier Monday #82

Exactly! BuddhaGirl Monday #100

Zero chance of this awesomerwb1 Monday #121

Trump is despicable TeamUSA is adorable! oasis Sunday #68

Yes! mcar Sunday #70

Go USA! BuddhaGirl Monday #98

Your point about Ronaldo is valid. Your assertion about Messi is not. ColoringFool Sunday #50

'K mcar Sunday #56

Correct answer... JCMach1 Monday #110

Actually there should not be a red card. Let the players sort things out themselves. Srkdqltr Sunday #6

Nope. WestMichRad Sunday #17

This clearly was not intentional. Happy Hoosier Sunday #25

Okay, that may be true. WestMichRad Sunday #39

It is unusual but not unique sarisataka Sunday #7

from what ive read multi game suspensiosn are appelable but not one game ones for a rd card moonshinegnomie Sunday #10

The red card is not open to appeal sarisataka Sunday #16

Why? It's not their fault they got a bogus call mcar Sunday #21

I'm glad it was reversed. Manatee Sunday #8

it may ahve been but under the rules he should still be suspended moonshinegnomie Sunday #12

He was suspended but they suspended the suspension and gave him probation Ponietz Monday #105

Go Belgium rpannier Sunday #32

If the US wins now it will be tainted. mtngirl47 Sunday #9

you obviously haven't been paying attention JCMach1 Monday #112

Trump ruined it. ColoringFool Monday #135

Do you have proof of this? That's not what I have Melon Sunday #11

from ESPN moonshinegnomie Sunday #13

and furthermore moonshinegnomie Sunday #14

That's the second piece of bad info you've posted Melon Sunday #26

See below. Melon Sunday #27

Ronaldo's wasn't in the tournament it was a qualifier moonshinegnomie Sunday #38

Fuck FIFA. ,Fuck Trump. It's too bad, but the US team will now be thought of as an illegitimate competitor by many. Whyisthisstillclose Sunday #15

Go Belgium rpannier Sunday #31

Post removed Post removed Sunday #54

????????? WTF? Whyisthisstillclose Sunday #55

LOL Skittles Monday #79

I'm shocked, shocked to find tampering going on in a FIFA event!!!1!!1111! WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #18

Right? mcar Sunday #22

If you can't trust FIFA... sarisataka Sunday #23

FIFA is corrupt! BidenRocks Sunday #19

FIFA's reputation *was* able to get worse Tasmanian Devil Sunday #24

Lots of folks, myself included... Happy Hoosier Sunday #29

I found myself wondering if there may not have been some subtle... 3catwoman3 Monday #81

He should have screwed with Norway then. dem4decades Monday #88

FIFA has a long history of corruption....and the beat goes on. ☮ walkingman Sunday #28

fifa should be banned from the world cup rpannier Sunday #30

Who do you think runs the World Cup? It's literally the FIFA World Cup. onenote Sunday #41

I know who runs the World Cup rpannier Sunday #46

LOL. Expecting FIFA to do anything less than maximally corrupt and utterly shamelessly too. RockRaven Sunday #34

If I were the US coach I'd bench the player with the red card for one match. I'd catch hell, but that's how MLAA Sunday #35

The head of FIFA should be nowhere near any sport. Buddyzbuddy Sunday #36

I didn't see the violation but I have read opinions from viewers (including non-Americans) FakeNoose Sunday #37

There is such a process sarisataka Sunday #40

At least in the World Cup mcar Sunday #71

I have some pretty serious questions Jilly_in_VA Monday #114

It's been middling, to say the least mcar Monday #115

We have all experienced questionable calls and nobody else is running to the head of FIFA Bev54 Monday #89

They will be sent packing in due course Prairie Gates Sunday #51

Why would you want the USMNT to be humiliated? mcar Sunday #72

If they had any integrity, they would not accept the interference. Bev54 Monday #91

US Team rso Sunday #53

Politics and sport don't make a good mix. Aussie105 Sunday #58

I agree that the red card was a bad call, but the president of a country has no business weighing in on something like Karasu Sunday #61

If I was the referee I probably wouldn't have shown even a yellow card jmowreader Sunday #62

Rules? We ain't got no stinkin rules. LilElf70 Sunday #63

hot take: the head of FIFA could have just said no. Takket Sunday #64

Yep mcar Sunday #74

Blaming the children for their parents' idiocy Ponietz Sunday #75

FIFA is just as corrupt danieljsf Sunday #66

They could he 100 times more corrupt than they are and still not be as corrupt as Pedo 47. BannonsLiver Monday #113

It makes me so mad. Music Man Sunday #76

It's not happening Renew Deal Sunday #78

My hunch is heads of states from all over the world contact FIFA and get games rigged. LeftInTX Monday #86

On the one hand, it was a bullshit red card to begin with. Jedi Guy Monday #87

No Polybius Monday #90

Given the traffic in DFW the past two weeks, yes please. Torchlight Monday #92

I'm glad it was reversed. It should not have been called. Go USA! nt LexVegas Monday #94

But what effect, if any, did this have on Taylor Swift's wedding? flvegan Monday #95

LOL sarisataka Monday #101

It's a clusterfuck all the way around indusurb Monday #97

FIFA should be disbanded just as the international olympic committee should be moonshinegnomie Monday #102

FIFA should ban FIFA! maxsolomon Monday #106

FIFA should be banned form the world cup. usonian Monday #107

This Is Why We Lose Elections ProfessorGAC Monday #108

I just wish people cared as much about democracy as they care about sports Skittles Monday #125

Certainly A Noble Sentiment ProfessorGAC Monday #127

Oh, come down from that horse. ColoringFool Monday #133

I hope Roger Goodell is watching. BannonsLiver Monday #111

FIFA is corrupt. Republicans nor US Soccer can win Akakoji Monday #117

Yes because the USMNT is a bunch of no talents sarisataka Monday #118

This was a total no win solution. They got exactly what they deserved Akakoji Monday #136

It was a no win situation sarisataka Monday #137

We all lost Akakoji Tuesday #138

Sports like soccer are useful in channeling aggressive instincts in safe ways. dedl67 Monday #124

I Suggest We Play as If Unaware and Then, Regardless of Match Outcome, Forfeit the Game in His Name The Roux Comes First Monday #126

Now that the dictator has put his finger Emile Monday #132

I'm rooting for BELGIUM because TRUMP INTERVENED! ColoringFool Monday #134