US President Donald Trump has praised FIFA president Gianni Infantino for reversing the suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun before the United States' FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium, saying the decision was the right one despite the team's eventual 4-1 defeat.
Trump made the comments during a reception at Trump Tower on Friday, held two days before the World Cup final and ahead of a FIFA Council meeting.
Trump and Infantino entered the stage as Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA played in the background. The two remained at the podium for more than two minutes until the song concluded before beginning their remarks.
Both highlighted the tournament's success, pointing to strong attendance figures and television audiences. Infantino also thanked Trump for his support in hosting the event.
"You put on the greatest human social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed," Infantino said.
During his speech, Trump again raised his claims regarding the 2020 US presidential election, referring to what he described as the "stolen" election. His comments followed a televised address in which he made unverified allegations that China had interfered in the election.
"I said, you know, I was supposed to not be here right now. I was supposed to be president for eight years," Trump said, referring to the fact that a victory in the 2020 election would have meant he left office before the 2026 World Cup.
"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."
Trump later spoke about the US men's national team and Balogun's disciplinary issue, recalling his intervention after the forward received a red card.
"You had unforgettable moments, like probably the most unforgettable is when they gave that gentleman [a red card]," Trump said.
"And I was forced to call Gianni and just make a recommendation. I said, Gianni, I'd like to make a recommendation. Let the guy in the game. No, I didn't say that. I said, I'd like to wage a complaint. And actually, I had no idea what was going to happen."
Balogun's one-match suspension was overturned before the match against Belgium, allowing him to feature. However, the United States were knocked out of the tournament after suffering a 4-1 loss.
Trump said the result ended any possible debate over whether the suspension decision had affected the outcome.
"You know, it's so much better because there's no controversy," he said.
"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."
At the conclusion of the event, Trump expressed his desire for the United States to host another FIFA World Cup in the future.
"This time we'll leave Mexico and Canada out," he said, drawing laughter from those present at the reception.
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