Donald Trump recently praised Fifa president Gianni Infantino for a decision regarding US striker Folarin Balogun’s red card. This discussion took place during a reception at Trump Tower, where both individuals appeared on stage together.
The event occurred on a Friday, preceding the World Cup final scheduled for Sunday. Trump and Infantino walked onto the stage to the sound of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” waiting for the song to conclude before Infantino made his remarks and introduced Trump.
During their appearance, both Trump and Infantino highlighted the accomplishments of the World Cup, noting high attendance figures and significant television viewership. Infantino expressed gratitude to Trump for what he described as “the greatest human social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed.”
Remarks on the World Cup and US Team
Trump spoke about the popularity of the event and the performance of the US men’s national team. He recounted a situation involving a red card given to a player, stating he made a recommendation to Infantino.
Trump indicated satisfaction with the outcome, suggesting that it avoided controversy. He remarked, “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.”
The US team ultimately lost their last-16 game against Belgium 4-1. Trump later expressed a desire for the US to host another World Cup, but suggested excluding Mexico and Canada, a comment that elicited laughter from the dignitaries present.
Personal Reflections and Event Details
Trump also shared that his family has developed an interest in the FIFA World Cup. He mentioned that his children are significant soccer fans and that much of his family planned to attend the championship game between Argentina and Spain.
He recounted that he did not know much about soccer before the tournament, which was hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. However, he noted that his son, Barron, enjoys playing the sport and possesses “good skills.”
Trump described observing plays from the tournament, such as Argentina star Lionel Messi’s pass for a game-winning goal. He characterized the pass as “brilliant” and “within, I would say, a quarter-inch of being perfect.”
The event saw spectators from countries attend games across cities. Trump inquired of Infantino whether the World Cup was larger than the Olympics, to which Infantino responded, “Much bigger,” drawing applause.
Trump mentioned that federal agencies contributed to security and expedited visas for the event. He concluded, with Infantino beside him, that “Together we pulled it off flawlessly.”
Political Statements and Future Hopes
During his remarks, Trump reiterated claims about the 2020 election, following a prior television address where he made unsubstantiated allegations of foreign interference. He stated, “I said, you know, I was supposed to not be here right now. I was supposed to be president for eight years.”
He continued, “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.”
Regarding the championship game, Trump chose not to predict a winner, simply stating it would be “something really special.”
Read Also
- NBA investigating Gary Trent Jr.'s contract extension with Milwaukee Bucks
- Royal Birkdale: Suber, Wallace, and Coody headline Open's second round
- Montreal's Olympic Stadium interior to be modernized, welcomed by tourism and business groups
- DeChambeau penalized 2 strokes at Open Championship after rules violation
Source: theguardian.com
