Trump’s World Cup, where sport and politics mix freely

David Sneyd dials in from America to chat to Sinead O’Carroll and Niall Kelly about the US President’s intervention in the World Cup.

Our reporter on the ground thought he might get through the rest of the World Cup talking about just football - until Donald Trump decided to call his fellow president, Gianni Infantino, the Fifa version, to see about a review to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia.

This duly happened, allowing the striker to face Belgium on Monday. Fifa said the decision was not influenced by Trump, but the ensuing row dominated the final days of the US World Cup campaign.

It also throws up questions still being considered after the US have been eliminated by Belgium.

Is there shock at Trump’s act? Or was something like this grimly predictable?

To what extent is it unprecedented, even in the chequered history of Fifa?

Does it taint this World Cup’s integrity?

What about Mauricio Pochettino? A respected coach at the elite level, where does this leave his standing in the game?

What will be the trickle down effect of other teams looking to get cards overturned?

Will there be consequences, lasting or otherwise, for Fifa or Infantino?

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