President Donald Trump has called the World Cup referee who sent off U.S. striker Folarin Balogun in last week’s match against Bosnia-Herzegovina “very suspect” as the uproar over the player’s suspended red card continues.
Speaking at the White House Monday morning ahead of the U.S.’s last 16 clash with Belgium, the president said of Balogun’s dismissal: “I saw the play, and I’m a person that loves sports... That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction.
“This referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past. He made a call that **** ody could believe. He’s our best player, or one of our best players. And he gave him a red card. I didn’t know what that meant... Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA.”
Later in his remarks, the president added: “I didn’t know what the **** a red card was. When I found out, I said, ‘You gotta be kidding!’”
The president’s attack on Brazilian official Raphael Claus, who oversaw last week’s 2-0 win for the U.S. over Bosnia in San Francisco and sent off Balogun for a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic in the 64th minute, came after FIFA moved Sunday to suspend the striker’s one-match ban.