It should not have been a red card in my opinion. It definitely wasn’t a “clear and obvious error” which would be required to overturn the call on the field of no red card. And they likely violated the video review protocols by using slow motion and still frames although the rules are vague enough that they might not have. So Balogun playing today is a just outcome.
But just outcomes achieved through corrupt means are not justice. If an innocent defendant bribes a jury to acquit him, that’s still a perversion of justice. If a defendant bribes a judge to throw out tainted evidence on procedural grounds and it leads to his acquittal, even if that was the legally correct thing for the judge to do, that’s still a perversion of justice. And if a notoriously corrupt US President convinces a notoriously corrupt FIFA executive to wipe out an incorrectly issued red card, it disgraces both the game and the presidency.
I’m thinking these acts pervert/corrupt the judicial process, which in my mind isn’t the same as a perversion of *justice*. I think of justice as the idealized, perfect outcome, best when achieved through an idealized, perfect process.
Even if USMNT won, I expect the athletes themselves would likely feel they had some element of a pure win stolen from them. Demento has clearly demonstrated he thinks ethics are for losers and winning is everything, even if by cheating.
However, his interference detracts from Balogun (who was ready to honorably accept the questionable decision) but now must play if asked to. So it's still a bit of slap in Balogun's face. The whole episode will detract from his and the team's victory, if they do win and taints the integrity of everyone involved.
Based on the current USMNT World Cup–era roster data, roughly half the team are dual nationals, and nearly all of them are birthright U.S. citizens — either by jus soli (born in the U.S.) or jus sanguinis (born abroad to at least one American parent). Only a small minority are naturalized citizens.
Another typical situation where DT (Down the Toilet) intercedes prematurely on Truth Soiled. No thoughts about the other players in the picture. He has not only compromised the world view of (1) FIFA, (2) Soccer/Fussball as a world Institution; (3) Soccer/Fussball as a viable part of the American media market; (4) American NFL/Canadian CFL, MLB baseball, NBA basketball and NHL hockey telemarketing entry into European & worldwide markets;
I think (irrationally) that the coach should bench Balogun. It would be an incredibly potent and provocative political statement at a time when we need exactly that. Of course that's never going to happen and as such Trump's behavior has once again besmirched our reputation on the world stage. This is all without regard to the terrible call for the original red card.
I had made a similar comment elsewhere, although I thought it should be a vote of the team rather than a unilateral coach's decision. It would be a powerful show of sportsmanship, as well as an implicit critique of the tainted way the reversal was obtained. "Our president may be a cheater, but we aren't." If the US were to win anyway, it would be even more special.
Well, one of my browsers won't work and the other - where I am now - won't allow me to take your poll ... but my answer is "yes." If the US team manages to win, the victory will be tainted, and if they lose, the entire world beyond our borders will chortle with smug derision.
If the US team was honorable, they'd sit the player involved (I can't recall his name at the moment) on the bench for the entire game, but given that soccer/futbol under FIFA is utterly corrupt (ahem: the "hand of God" goal by Maradona way back when), that won't happen. Thanks to tRump, the US team is now in a lose/lose situation.
tRump is the Anti-Midas: everything he touches turns to shit.
I am by no means a soccer aficionado, but the clip I saw did not show an intention by Balogon to stomp on the other player's foot, just a consequence of close-in footwork. Nevertheless, Trump should have kept his oar out of the water and STFU for a change. He can opine, but calling the head of FIFA was way over the top.
There are a lot of other games to be played. The World Cup is ruined only if the US wins the championship. If Balogun sits out the game, that would erase this taint. Or if the US loses to Belgium.
On a different Substack (JoJo's, I think), I commented yesterday that Balogun could let everybody but the Orange Doofus off the hook by simply saying, "I accepted the penalty and decline to play." I'm guessing he won't do that, for any number of reasons, but I'd love to see it happen.
>>This is a world map of who everyone is cheering for in today's World Cup game between Belgium and the USA<< I am not able to post the graphic here, but let's just say that except for the US, the entire world is now rooting for Belgium. :)
That was my feeling, too. I wouldn't be surprised if it's YEARS until the US is invited to host the Cup again, and in different world maybe the US team itself would be temporarily banned. But it is after all the World Cup, not the US Cup.
Honestly, I'm not convinced he actually did anything. He doesn't know soccer, so my guess is someone else made the call and, once they made the decision to reverse the suspension, he started taking the credit.
I've never watched soccer, let alone World Cup, but do recall FIFA's longstanding reputation for corruption, so Trump is just fitting right in. If someone would just find a way to deposit him in Brussels right now, that would be as good as delivering him to Tehran.
If the US continues to win, there'll always be a virtual asterisk next to the team's name.
Three other thoughts:
1) Everything T touches turns to shit -- literally (underwear) or figuratively. Your mission, Gene, if you choose to accept it, is to come up with an appropriate epithet.
2) Given item 1, why does a third of the US still approve of his presidency? Racism uber alles?
3) T's spent a lifetime fleecing suckers, so he knew he found a good one in Infantino, who's weak and ethically challenged.
It should not have been a red card in my opinion. It definitely wasn’t a “clear and obvious error” which would be required to overturn the call on the field of no red card. And they likely violated the video review protocols by using slow motion and still frames although the rules are vague enough that they might not have. So Balogun playing today is a just outcome.
But just outcomes achieved through corrupt means are not justice. If an innocent defendant bribes a jury to acquit him, that’s still a perversion of justice. If a defendant bribes a judge to throw out tainted evidence on procedural grounds and it leads to his acquittal, even if that was the legally correct thing for the judge to do, that’s still a perversion of justice. And if a notoriously corrupt US President convinces a notoriously corrupt FIFA executive to wipe out an incorrectly issued red card, it disgraces both the game and the presidency.
My thoughts exactly, though you presented them much more eloquently than I would have. Thank you.
This decision also taints any result the USMNT might achieve, especially if a controversial call benefits the team.
It certainly may disgrace "the beautiful game," but there's nothing left to disgrace this president, he's used up all his chits.
I don't know. Trump is still full of chits.
🤣
I was going to say something but you guys said it all. Just right.
I’m thinking these acts pervert/corrupt the judicial process, which in my mind isn’t the same as a perversion of *justice*. I think of justice as the idealized, perfect outcome, best when achieved through an idealized, perfect process.
Even if USMNT won, I expect the athletes themselves would likely feel they had some element of a pure win stolen from them. Demento has clearly demonstrated he thinks ethics are for losers and winning is everything, even if by cheating.
I love the irony that the player he intervened on behalf of as a birthright citizen.
Yes!
Yes, that is really the bonus here. So birthright citizenship is OK if that yields some kind of selfish reward to the a$$hole.
However, look for him to get a visit from ICE after the World Cup is over and his usefulness to Trump's self-serving bit of performance art is done.
However, his interference detracts from Balogun (who was ready to honorably accept the questionable decision) but now must play if asked to. So it's still a bit of slap in Balogun's face. The whole episode will detract from his and the team's victory, if they do win and taints the integrity of everyone involved.
Based on the current USMNT World Cup–era roster data, roughly half the team are dual nationals, and nearly all of them are birthright U.S. citizens — either by jus soli (born in the U.S.) or jus sanguinis (born abroad to at least one American parent). Only a small minority are naturalized citizens.
Is anybody sort of hoping that Belgium wins, just to get past this?
I don't think it's fair to Balogun to make him sit it out when the call should have been overturned anyway.
On the other hand, if they lose, the poor guy could end up deported.
Another typical situation where DT (Down the Toilet) intercedes prematurely on Truth Soiled. No thoughts about the other players in the picture. He has not only compromised the world view of (1) FIFA, (2) Soccer/Fussball as a world Institution; (3) Soccer/Fussball as a viable part of the American media market; (4) American NFL/Canadian CFL, MLB baseball, NBA basketball and NHL hockey telemarketing entry into European & worldwide markets;
(5) FOX network credibility
Shouldn't point 5 have a question mark at the end?
Interrobang.
He's a birthright citizen, born to Nigerian parents in NYC.
I think (irrationally) that the coach should bench Balogun. It would be an incredibly potent and provocative political statement at a time when we need exactly that. Of course that's never going to happen and as such Trump's behavior has once again besmirched our reputation on the world stage. This is all without regard to the terrible call for the original red card.
I had made a similar comment elsewhere, although I thought it should be a vote of the team rather than a unilateral coach's decision. It would be a powerful show of sportsmanship, as well as an implicit critique of the tainted way the reversal was obtained. "Our president may be a cheater, but we aren't." If the US were to win anyway, it would be even more special.
It would be nice and redemptive of us all if the player chose not to play this game and the coach respected that decision.
Well, one of my browsers won't work and the other - where I am now - won't allow me to take your poll ... but my answer is "yes." If the US team manages to win, the victory will be tainted, and if they lose, the entire world beyond our borders will chortle with smug derision.
If the US team was honorable, they'd sit the player involved (I can't recall his name at the moment) on the bench for the entire game, but given that soccer/futbol under FIFA is utterly corrupt (ahem: the "hand of God" goal by Maradona way back when), that won't happen. Thanks to tRump, the US team is now in a lose/lose situation.
tRump is the Anti-Midas: everything he touches turns to shit.
I am by no means a soccer aficionado, but the clip I saw did not show an intention by Balogon to stomp on the other player's foot, just a consequence of close-in footwork. Nevertheless, Trump should have kept his oar out of the water and STFU for a change. He can opine, but calling the head of FIFA was way over the top.
He had to ask someone to explain to him what a red card is before making the call.
It's always true, this time and every time: Everything Trump touches turns to shit.
Ann Telnaes just posted her cartoon take. https://anntelnaes.substack.com/
Loved those tiny handprints! 🤣
There are a lot of other games to be played. The World Cup is ruined only if the US wins the championship. If Balogun sits out the game, that would erase this taint. Or if the US loses to Belgium.
Valancy Carmody, let me say that I was tickled to see your name pop up for the first time, as I had just recently reread some Zenna Henderson.
On a different Substack (JoJo's, I think), I commented yesterday that Balogun could let everybody but the Orange Doofus off the hook by simply saying, "I accepted the penalty and decline to play." I'm guessing he won't do that, for any number of reasons, but I'd love to see it happen.
According to Zippy the Pinhead, Zombies rule Belgium.
Everybody knows that
Some mitigation, anyway....
>>This is a world map of who everyone is cheering for in today's World Cup game between Belgium and the USA<< I am not able to post the graphic here, but let's just say that except for the US, the entire world is now rooting for Belgium. :)
Maybe this one? (No idea if this map was the product of any actual research, or just a joke.)
https://images.vrt.be/vrtnws_web/2026/07/06/f8d38cbd-609b-43bb-bf63-92abedc1f6e5.png?width=1800&height=1013
Genuine or not, made me laugh.
Thanks! Yep, that's the one. I only had a jpeg of it. The originator of the map claims he has factual backup. Who knows? Regardless, it's funny.
Funny, but even Alaska?
Corrupt POTUS asks corrupt FIFI President for a "favor." What could possibly go wrong?
He may have ruined it temporarily, but probably not in the long term. The cup is too popular.
That was my feeling, too. I wouldn't be surprised if it's YEARS until the US is invited to host the Cup again, and in different world maybe the US team itself would be temporarily banned. But it is after all the World Cup, not the US Cup.
I do believe the honorable thing to do would be for Balogun to sit this game out.
A massive sacrifice on his part, but the honorable thing to do.
Whether or not the red card was called for, it was issued and at no fault of the Belgian team.
Honestly, I'm not convinced he actually did anything. He doesn't know soccer, so my guess is someone else made the call and, once they made the decision to reverse the suspension, he started taking the credit.
I've never watched soccer, let alone World Cup, but do recall FIFA's longstanding reputation for corruption, so Trump is just fitting right in. If someone would just find a way to deposit him in Brussels right now, that would be as good as delivering him to Tehran.
Deposit him in Brussels, under the Mannekin Pis.
If the US continues to win, there'll always be a virtual asterisk next to the team's name.
Three other thoughts:
1) Everything T touches turns to shit -- literally (underwear) or figuratively. Your mission, Gene, if you choose to accept it, is to come up with an appropriate epithet.
2) Given item 1, why does a third of the US still approve of his presidency? Racism uber alles?
3) T's spent a lifetime fleecing suckers, so he knew he found a good one in Infantino, who's weak and ethically challenged.
P.S. A red card was the correct call. A player for England got sent off yesterday for a similar offense.
Tainted, yes. Ruined? That's a different metric. TBD.