WaPo Journo Warns on MS NOW Trump Calling FIFA Will Sabotage Team USA Winning World Cup

Washington Post opinion writer Kate Andrews warned if the U.S. Men’s soccer team advances in the World Cup that it will be be perceived as “unfair” by many Americans, after President Donald Trump called the head of FIFA and asked for a review of a controversial red card on star striker Folarin Balogun. 

Andrews discussed the matter during an appearance on MS NOW on Monday morning.

She said Trump’s involvement could sabotage how the American team is viewed after Balogun was reinstated by FIFA; Andrews also said Americans like Trump are ignorant about soccer and don’t understand that terrible calls that keep one of your best players out of the next game are just part of the sport.

“Other teams will not be happy about this, but the biggest impact that this has is [on] U.S. Soccer fans. I think the president has misunderstood the beautiful game,” Andrews said. “Part of it is that you don’t always get the call you want. There’s real disappointment. There’s the hope that kills you. This is part of the beauty of soccer. And the point is that you have to triumph over what are often perceived to be unfair calls.”

She continued by saying England got a bad call in its game against Mexico on Sunday night, “but you didn’t see” Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling FIFA over it.

“I think the biggest disappointment for me, anyway, [and] I’m sure for a lot of Americans, is if the USA continues to advance — and this is one of their best world cups in decades — I think a lot of people out there will feel like it was unfair. Like they didn’t actually win it,” Andrews said. “Because part of it is that you have to overcome the adversity and what are perceived sometimes be unfair calls. You can’t have people calling up, making a phone call in your favor to get you the win.”

Fill-in anchor Erielle Reshef agreed, saying the “fear” is that Trump’s call “could tarnish the incredible success that Team USA has had.” She added a moment earlier that FIFA’s rules are “sacrosanct” — which may come as a surprise to even the most casual soccer fan.

Andrews griped about Trump about an hour before he confirmed he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the red card.

“All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say you have to do this. This man is a smart, tough man, Gianni Infantino. He’s a smart, tough man, and his stock has gone through the roof because the job he’s done has been great,” Trump said. “And I feel we have to have all the best players on the field. You can’t take the best players.”

The president said he understands sports “really well,” so he felt compelled to say something after watching a slow motion replay of the collision that led to Balogun’s red card. That call would have kept him out of Monday’s game against Belgium.

Trump said he is “very glad” about FIFA’s decision to reinstate Balogun, but Team Belgium is not. The Royal Belgian Football Association complained on Sunday it was “astonished” Balogun was going to be able to play.

The president said it wouldn’t have been a real match if Balogun was kept out, though.

“The people in Belgium, if they win the game, they can be very proud,” Trump said. “If they would win the game with a player missing, it would have been a different feeling. You can’t do that.”

Watch above via MS NOW.

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