Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 9

Rapinoe Blames Trump for USMNT's 1-0 World Cup Loss After Balogun Suspension Reversal

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 9

Rapinoe Blames Trump for USMNT's 1-0 World Cup Loss After Balogun Suspension Reversal

Q: Did the intervention to save a star player ultimately harm the USMNT's World Cup campaign?

There is a credible case that the intervention hurt the USMNT more than it helped, but it cannot be proved as the decisive reason they lost to Belgium. The practical benefit was limited. FIFA’s extraordinary decision let Folarin Balogun play in the Round of 16, yet he had little impact in the 4-1 defeat. That weakens the argument that overturning the suspension materially improved the team’s chances on the field. The downside is easier to document. The reversal triggered a major international backlash, with Belgium’s federation, UEFA and former FIFA officials criticizing the move as political interference and a threat to sporting integrity. That turned the U.S. into the center of a controversy just before its biggest match. Megan Rapinoe argued that the public uproar and “chaos” became a distraction for a relatively young squad. Outside analysis, including from the Los Angeles Times, similarly argued the episode created unnecessary pressure and did “more harm than good.” At the same time, the strongest direct evidence from inside the camp points the other way. Coach Mauricio Pochettino and players including Tyler Adams and Tim Ream said the controversy was only “outside noise” and did not affect performance. Their view was that the U.S. simply was not good enough on the day against a stronger Belgium side. The fairest reading is that the intervention likely damaged the team’s environment and preparation, even if it was not the sole or proven cause of elimination.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 9

Megan Rapinoe said the U.S. men's team was distracted before its 1-0 World Cup exit to Belgium, blaming the public fallout around President Donald Trump's intervention.
Folarin Balogun had been facing suspension after a red card, but FIFA cleared him to play after Trump contacted the governing body and cited a rule previously used in Cristiano Ronaldo's case.
On her podcast, Rapinoe said the team was not equipped to handle the political noise and broader public debate that came with Trump's involvement.
She also argued the squad lacked older players and a culture of speaking out off the field, saying that made the disruption harder to absorb.
The comments add a political layer to the post-mortem of the U.S. host-nation World Cup campaign, shifting attention from Belgium's win to the controversy around Balogun's availability.