FIFA World Cup
I don't think Americans realize how much things like this make the people of the world hate the United States.
tomcat said:
Then King Carrot decided to stick his nose into yet another area that is none of his business, when he took it upon himself to call the president of FIFA. Suddenly the suspension has been lifted/deferred. US fans are jubilant, and Belgium (the next opponent) is livid and appealing this decision.
No matter what the final outcome is, the orange kid in the White House has managed to turn this issue into an event becoming of a third tier banana republic. If the US wins the match against Belgium, the international opinion will forever describe it as a gift/bribe to the grifter.
The World Cup is, indeed, Trump's "business".
"In August 2025, Donald Trump Jr. joined Polymarket’s advisory board, and 1789 Capital, the venture capital firm where Trump Jr. is a partner, made an investment in the company reportedly in the “double-digit millions of dollars. Notably, Trump Jr. also serves as a paid strategic advisor to Polymarket’s rival Kalshi, maintaining what one report described as a “foot in both camps.” Ann Skeet, senior director of leadership ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, flagged the “perception” problem: the president’s son sitting on the advisory board of a platform where people wager on events the president can directly influence. “Just the perception that people have that Donald Jr. himself might have inside information because of his easy access to the president, I think presents a problem for the prediction market companies,” Skeet said." Polymarket and Trump: Scandals, Investigations, and Ties - LegalClarity
Gee....isn't taking an "adviser" position because of his name and connections pretty much what the MAGAs accused Hunter Biden of doing with Burisma?
Trump (and his entire family) is a bunch of corrupt grifters. However, the MAGAs are oblivious.
GoSlugs said:
I don't think Americans realize how much things like this make the people of the world hate the United States.
I wondered what Americans, in general, realized. This was what I found.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/702767/americans-views-nation-global-image-power.aspx
Americans’ assessments of how the United States is viewed internationally are among the most negative Gallup has recorded in the past two and a half decades.
Currently, 40% believe the U.S. is viewed very or somewhat favorably around the world, while 59% think it is viewed unfavorably. The 59% perceiving that the U.S. is viewed unfavorably is essentially tied for the highest in Gallup’s trend, along with a 58% reading in 2007 during the middle of the Iraq War.
After peaking at 79% favorably in early 2002 following the 9/11 attacks, Americans’ positive perception of the country’s global standing declined sharply during the Iraq War. By 2005, it had dropped below 50%, and by 2007, it had fallen to the trend-low 40%, identical to the current reading.
Although perceptions improved at various points over the next decade, including during Trump’s first term, they have again trended downward in recent years.
I think it is less about percentages and more about intensity. The vast majority of Canadians have an unfavorable view of the US and that has been the case for the last two years but this nonsense has made people visibly angry. I was in a sports bar last night at a birthday celebration for a friend. People were genuinely outraged in a way that I had not seen before.
Hell hath no fury like an outraged Canadian.
everything Trump touches turns to ****. Even the World Cup, which had brought people together in such a beautiful way is now ruined because he got involved.
I'm still rooting for USMNT, but a win tonight is going to feel tainted. Sure the original ruling was extremely questionable. But now the reversal looks just plain corrupt. Something neither FIFA or the U.S. needed at this time.
Also, birthright citizenship comes through in the clutch.
The irony of Trump calling FIFA to overturn
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) July 5, 2026
a red card for Balogun because he knows the U.S. can’t win without Balogun, who only qualifies for the U.S. team because of birthright citizenship, which Trump just tried to overturn. https://t.co/oEOP3OX7gp
It doesn't really matter that much. USMNT is not going to win the world cup this year, with or without Balogun.
basil said:
It doesn't really matter that much. USMNT is not going to win the world cup this year, with or without Balogun.
That would really depend on whether FIFA finds a back bone. Do you think Trump is going to let a little thing like a blow out defeat let the rest of the world stop 'Merica?
Wow! So our president managed to motivate the Belgium team to humiliate the USMNT, alienate the whole soccer world, increase anti-americanism around the world, and probably destroy the international playing career of this poor Balogun kid. Oh, and he probably took some bribes to enrich himself and dole out some US taxpayer money in the background. All in a days work! Winning!
It isn’t going to hurt Balogun’s career. And FIFA needs to institute an appeals process so that penalties the entire soccer world knows are not warranted can be overturned. Of course, FIFA did itself no favors by doing this in response to an appeal from Trump. It’s fitting. The most corrupt sports governing body cutting a deal with the most corrupt President in American history
basil said:
Wow! So our president managed to motivate the Belgium team to humiliate the USMNT, alienate the whole soccer world, increase anti-americanism around the world, and probably destroy the international playing career of this poor Balogun kid. Oh, and he probably took some bribes to enrich himself and dole out some US taxpayer money in the background. All in a days work! Winning!
Yesterday, two of my Trump supporting acquaintenances separately lamented to me that they think "the world hates us" because of Trump's actions in the World Cup debacle. They haven't seen a problem in bombing other nations, disruptive tariffs, endorsing genocide, grifting, lying, unbridled pomposity, weaponizing government agencies to go after those who dare to stand up to him, or threats to seize Canada and Greenland. Apparently, however, they view interferring in a sporting event as going over the line. Oh well, it's a start.
tjohn said:
It isn’t going to hurt Balogun’s career.
I hope you are right, but do not underestimate the impact this has outside of the US (I know it is silly because it is only sports)
Who knows? Trump is busy with NATO right now but, when he gets the chance to make a few phone calls, the US may still be headed to the quarter finals.
Why let a little thing like a crushing defeat get in the way of victory?*
*especially when the Polymarket payoff would be astronomical.
GoSlugs said:
*especially when the Polymarket payoff would be astronomical.
That is a very good point. All this noise and chaos is always designed to distract from him or his family stuffing their pockets in the background somehow.
GoSlugs said:
Who knows? Trump is busy with NATO right now but, when he gets the chance to make a few phone calls, the US may still be headed to the quarter finals.
Why let a little thing like a crushing defeat get in the way of victory?*
*especially when the Polymarket payoff would be astronomical.
The one non-political thing happening on the world stage, and Trump has to stick his fat finger into it.
Trump and FIFA are a match made in hell, since they both are incredibly corrupt.
While FIFA did it's best to involve Trump (awarding him the inaugural and likely only one FIFA Peace Prize), the event is essentially non-political.
In the last match the USMNTs best player was given a red card (automatic ejection AND at least 1 game suspension, + team plays rest of the match one down). Was this a just penalty?
Probably not. Most fouls lead to a free kick to the other side. Serious fouls lead to a yellow card (2 yellows in the same game => red card, and penalties as explained above). Only very serious fouls lead to an immediate ejection. However, the referee is human and it becomes a judgement call (just like American Football, Baseball, Basketball, etc.); in this borderline case, the call went against the American player.
The USMNT regretted the situation, but did not complain!
Then King Carrot decided to stick his nose into yet another area that is none of his business, when he took it upon himself to call the president of FIFA. Suddenly the suspension has been lifted/deferred. US fans are jubilant, and Belgium (the next opponent) is livid and appealing this decision.
No matter what the final outcome is, the orange kid in the White House has managed to turn this issue into an event becoming of a third tier banana republic. If the US wins the match against Belgium, the international opinion will forever describe it as a gift/bribe to the grifter.