World Cup 2026

[Wildweasel74]

Hes a me me me. No though of his country at all! He was only good for 25mins this time round.

[Main Street]

This is the first time I have warmed to a Belgian team since euro 80

[Gabriel_Hurl]

The US defence is so open that Trump will run his 2028 campaign on closing it down

[Blowitupref]

Ronaldo thoughts after Portugal's World Cup exit.

Tomorrow I'll wake up just as I did today: with a clear conscience. I played for the national team for 23 years and won three titles; before Cristiano, Portugal hadn't won anything. The European Championship was the most important one. For me, 2016 holds the same significance as a World Cup

[weareros]

Much more accomplished and controlled win over a host by Belgium than England's. When they add a bit of passion to their technical ability they are still a team to be reckoned with. That's a hammering.

[Blowitupref]

Belgium 4 USA 1.

Trump getting his buddy Gianni Infantino to lift the one match ban on Folarin Balogun backfired spectacularly. 

[Delgany 2nds]

A well deserved beating handed out by Belgium. I think the red card back fired spectacularly- well done Donald ! USA were crap all over the pitch. Ref didn't fold either!

[Puckoon]

Ultimately outclassed by a Belgian team that had yet to ignite. Wotsit fingers provided that spark and Belgium wasted no time with the gasoline.

Feel sorry for the many solid USA fans who didn't get to finish up this World Cup without this nonsense tainting it.

[gawa316]

At what point do countries seriously have to take action here? This is basically a case of FIFA going "Yeah we know that this is political influence, and we know that you know that too. But we don't care and we're going to do it anyway." There's no hiding this, or trying to argue the case for it. It's just so blatant that it's absurd. How can soccer look at this and not understand that this will tarnish soccer globally. The image of fair play will be gone completely. Even back pedalling now is going to look terrible.

You think it's bad now? Just wait till Trump hands over the trophy to Team USA on 19th July; he's already agreed the outcome, with Infantino.

  Over react much?

US atrocious throughout. Got the luck to get back into it and then threw it straight away

[seafoid]

A total clusterfuck


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/07/05/president-trump-delighted-fifa-cancel-folarin-baloguns-ban/

Fifa's scrapping of Balogun's suspension after Mr Trump's intervention has provoked the first major rebellion in the game against Infantino.

Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, Uefa and the federations of Germany and Belgium launched unprecedented attacks on Infantino, who has faced repeated accusations of cosying up to Mr Trump.

"This is our sport, not theirs," said Klopp. "If Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino really sorted this out between themselves, it is madness; it calls everything into question."


Calls for Infantino to resign then followed from senior MPs, campaigners and David Bernstein, the former Football Association chairman.

Bernstein, who had been a leading voice in challenging Infantino's disgraced predecessor Sepp Blatter, said the Balogun situation was "absolutely wrong, awful".

Fifa's decision to rescind Balogun's ban has opened up a can of worms and the Football Association is weighing up whether to challenge Jarell Quansah's suspension after he was sent off in England's 3-2 win against Mexico. France are now also attempting to have Michael Olise's yellow card in their victory over Paraguay annulled.

Sources close to talks claim Mr Trump discussed the matter three times with Infantino.

Infantino maintains Fifa's decision on Balogun was independent, and unrelated to his conversation with the US president.

But Mr Trump had already claimed credit for getting the red card overturned. "I'm the one that got them to do it," Mr Trump said.

"I saw the play, and I'm a person that loves sports. That wasn't a foul. That wasn't even an infraction... this referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past. He made a call that nobody could believe... he's our best player, or one of our best players. And he gave him a red card.
Clive Betts, a Labour MP who is chair of the all-party parliamentary group for football, said: "The first thing they've got to do is explain their decision and if it literally was just a phone call from Trump then I'm sorry, but I think he has to resign or Fifa has to sack him if he won't."

Infantino must go," added Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader. "No matter where it's held, the World Cup belongs to the fans – not gangsters like Trump."


Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, has called for Infantino to resign Credit: Thomas Krych/Anadolu via Getty Images
Tim Farron, the former Lib Dem leader, said: "Balogun's red card 'suspension' is straight-up tin-pot corruption. Infantino must surely resign for this. Meanwhile maybe Starmer should pick up the phone and demand Quansah's red be reversed?"

'Infantino should resign immediately'
Gerry Sutcliffe, the former sports minister, said: "This clearly is an appalling situation where politicians and sport executives have ruined the integrity of the game. Infantino should resign immediately and Fifa should hold an immediate inquiry. President Trump admits contacting Infantino. The USA should not play the player involved for the good of the game."

Infantino said in response that "Fifa's judicial bodies are independent" and "operate autonomously" of his influence.

Of his conversation with Mr Trump, he said: "During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving Fifa's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how Fifa's system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold."

The explanation did not satisfy his critics, however. The Labour peer Lord Rees said: "It's just an embarrassment to the sport. I hope the United States doesn't want to be associated with it."

Clive Efford, the Labour MP for Eltham and Chislehurst, said: "This is a complete disgrace and brings shame on United States football. It shows that Fifa is still rotten to the core and needs root and branch change, starting with Infantino."

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Noah Law, the Labour MP for St Austell, wrote to Infantino urging him to lift Quansah's suspension. Another European football leader, speaking privately, told Telegraph Sport: "If this is a direct response to US lobbying, this is not far short of a governing body aiding match-fixing."

Mr Trump, however, ⁠insisted that Fifa made a "really brilliant decision" to suspend the red card. "I think the referee's call was horrible," he said, before adding that he had asked only for a review. "I didn't tell them what to do. I ⁠can't ⁠tell them what to do."

There were further claims on Sunday by Clay Travis, the prominent American political commentator, author and radio host, that Mr Trump, Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, and Andrew Giuliani, the head of the White House World Cup task force, put together a team of external lawyers to challenge the red card.

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Travis claimed they specifically challenged the use of slow-motion instant replay in awarding the red card and felt this violated Fifa rules.

Reflecting on the crisis, Jamie Carragher, the former England defender, said the situation was "unbelievable". Gary Neville, a former England team-mate, added on Sky Sports News that "I've never seen anything like it in my life".

Pierluigi Collina, Fifa referees' chief, has jumped to the defence of Raphael Claus after the official at the centre of the Balogun controversy was described as "a little bit suspect" by Mr Trump.

Mr Trump cast aspersions on Claus' integrity after the Brazil referee sent off Balogun during the US's 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina after being sent to the pitch-side monitor by the VAR.

But Collina, Fifa's chief refereeing officer and chairman of the Referees' Committee, said: "Raphael Claus is refereeing at his second FIFA World Cup having been with us in Qatar in 2022. He is an experienced and highly respected referee and we maintain full confidence in him as a trusted match official."

Collina's remarks followed a statement from the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) backing Claus.

It said: "The Referees Committee of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) wishes to express its full recognition of the career, professionalism, honesty, independence, and professional competence of South American referee Raphael Claus, amply demonstrated throughout his distinguished career in international refereeing.

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"In this regard, it expresses its full and unwavering support for his work, reaffirming its confidence in his professionalism, integrity, and the commitment with which he performs his duties in service to world football."

Fifa and the Fifa Referees' Committee said: "Fifa recognises Raphael Claus as one of the world's leading professional referees and a valued member of Team One at the Fifa World Cup. Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity."

[square_ball]

Martinez continues to spoof through life. Watch him end up in another great job and do f**k All

He'll probably end up with the Spain job knowing that fella!


And now the US are out all the talk about the Trump involvement in the ban being suspended will fizzle out but its actually mental what has happened there.

[square_ball]

He didn't play the full game in 3 of his last 7 international matches.

Very good

[statto]

Belgium 4 USA 1.

Trump getting his buddy Gianni Infantino to lift the one match ban on Folarin Balogun backfired spectacularly. 

A great result for football.

Prior to the Balogan farce it looked as though Belgium where a team that needed put out of their misery.  Don't see them beating Spain but that was a great result last night against a USA team who had looked decent up to then. 

[statto]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2xxl6772no

Good news for England their first choice right back available for the weekend.  Norway have had good threat down the left side most of the tournament. 

[Mourne Red]

https://x.com/dekunlz/status/2074029530251989179?s=46&t=zMI0pHqP8aYtYYerofczvg

Found the unseriousness of this hilarious.