‘The Trump effect’: President ridiculed in US after team thrashed by Belgium at World Cup
· Yahoo Sports
President Donald Trump has been ridiculed after his controversial intervention in the FIFAWorld Cup proved fruitless and the U.S. crashed out of the tournament in a comprehensive 4-1 thrashing by Belgium.
Trump had lobbied FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review a red card shown to star striker Folarin Balogun in their last-32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, prompting the organizing body to announce Sunday that the player’s one-match ban would be suspended, sparking a global outcry.
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Speaking at the White House before the game, Trump admitted to appealing to Infantino for Balogun to be allowed to play and said of Belgium: “If they beat us, they can be really proud. The other way, if they beat us, we’ll say – I’ll say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020, but I won’t get into that.”
In the end, the Europeans ran out worthy winners in Seattle, knocking out a curiously lacklustre U.S. and prompting California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla to brand the whole affair the latest example of “the Trump effect” in action.
Padilla posted a short clip of himself on X carrying the scoreline and saying of Trump: “He’s like the reverse Midas touch – everything he touches turns to… you know what.”
Belgium's squad appeared to mock President Donald Trump's trademark dance after beating the U.S. in Seattle (Getty)The Belgian players certainly enjoyed their victory, appearing to mock the president’s signature dance at full time while their official Instagram account posted a picture of forward Romelu Lukaku celebrating with the caption: “Overturn this.”
The Republicans Against Trump account on X had already joked about the president imposing 6,000 percent tariffs on Belgian exports as revenge for the result and followed it up with a clip of dance alongside the caption: “Make it 12,000 percent.”
Trump was also derided by podcaster Spencer Hakiman, who invoked the recent Iran war by saying: “JUST IN: Trump says Belgium is 2 weeks away from developing a nuclear bomb.”
Others spoofed the president by posting memes of a world map marking out the “Gulf of Belgium,” a cherub statue dressed in replica Belgium kit urinating on the commander-in-chief and Satan giving him a spanking (the country’s national side is nicknamed the Red Devils).
Lawyer Adam Cohen pointed out that the president had also proven to be a bad luck charm to the New York Knicks recently when they lost the NBA Finals game against the San Antonio Spurs that he attended and suggested the curse had repeated itself, concluding: “Everything. Trump. Touches. Dies.”
Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku wheels away after scoring his side’s fourth goal in the Monday’s rout (Reuters)Even before the game kicked off, anti-Trump commentator Brian Krassenstein had said the scandal “just shows you that everything he touches is delegitimate crap,” warning that anything coach Mauricio Pochettino’s team achieved at the World Cup would now be “questioned.”
Geopolitics expert Cyrus Janssen had similarly called it a “lose-lose situation” for the host nation, explaining: “We beat Belgium and the victory will be tainted as we needed our President to cheat to help us win.
“If we lose than [sic] even our President cheating couldn’t help us win.”
Other politicians reacting to Monday’s disappointment tried to place the emphasis on the U.S. team’s efforts on the pitch, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom writing on X: “Thank you USMNT for the thrills, the joy, and the belief these last few weeks.
“It was an honor to host you in California – see you on the field in 2030!! Forever and always, go #TeamUSA!”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote: “The USMNT left it all on the field tonight and showed the world what we’re made of. I couldn’t be more proud.”
“We must have watched different games,” came one withering response.
Trump himself, en route to a Nato summit in Turkey, has yet to comment on his unpopular intervention backfiring, despite spending another busy evening posting on Truth Social.