“Shame on you!”
That was the now-viral reaction from Belgium’s opposition Socialist party to FIFA’s decision to reverse the US’ star striker Folarin Balogun’s red card, following a personal phone call from Donald Trump to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.
Balogun was set to sit out today’s last-16 knockout clash with the Belgians after receiving a red card for stepping on the foot of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic in a round-of-32 clash that the US won 2-0.
One phone call later, and it seems like Trump is calling the shots.
"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
This did not go down well.
“Shame on you! When money calls the shots, the World Cup loses all credibility,” the Belgium Socialist party stated. “Adapting the rules to please Trump, trying to cheat to win - what a deplorable image for FIFA, for the soccer World Cup, and for the United States. Rules must be respected by everyone, in sports as in life.”
Yvan Verougstraete, member of the European Parliament and president of the Francophone centrist Les Engagés party, also reacted to the decision by saying: “Amazing how a red card suddenly becomes ‘unjust’ when Trump gets involved... FIFA must defend fairness, not give the impression of yielding to political pressures."
He added: "See you on the pitch: the Devils’ victory will be all the more valuable.”
I didn’t know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It’s April Fools.Rudi Garcia Belgium head coach
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished” by the decision, that it was in “direct contradiction” with the competition regulations and said it is exploring “all potential options.”
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia also issued a statement: “As far as I recall, I think this is the first time in World Cup history that a decision like this has been made. Anyway, I’m the coach, so I’m going to focus on my team and the match - it doesn’t matter who makes up the USA’s starting lineup. What matters to me is the pitch, my team, winning, and reaching the quarterfinals.”
Garcia added: “I didn’t know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It’s April Fools.”
This is probably the biggest scandal in World Cup history.Reaction by X user
Then came the internet’s verdict, AI-generated memes and all...
MAGA supporters have welcomed the decision and championed "the Trump card"; others have expressed anger over the decision, saying that if the US wins the World Cup, “it will be questioned – Thanks, Trump”.
Many called out Infantino as corrupt, highlighting how FIFA’s supposed political neutrality has been irreversibly tanked by the current FIFA president, who previously awarded FIFA's inaugural Peace Price to Donald Trump.
“The most CORRUPT FIFA World Cup,” one user wrote, while another posted: “This is probably the biggest scandal in World Cup history.”
Some have even called for the US vs Belgium game to be boycotted altogether.
Check out some of the trending reactions below:
US vs Belgium takes place tomorrow morning at 2am CET.
