But the most explosive story of the day had nothing to do with what happened during a match. Ahead of the USA vs. Belgium Round of 16 clash, UEFA launched an extraordinary public attack on FIFA over the reversal of a suspension for American striker Folarin Balogun.
“When the certainty of the rules is no longer guaranteed, the integrity of the game is put at risk,” the European football governing body said in a statement, calling FIFA’s decision to revoke Balogun’s ban “incomprehensible” and accusing the organization of crossing “an insurmountable limit.” Belgium has filed an appeal.
Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò went further, calling it “an extremely dangerous political precedent.” According to L’Espresso, the reversal reportedly came after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. If true, it would represent one of the most brazen examples of political interference in international sport in recent memory.
The game itself — USA vs. Belgium — was set to go ahead amid this cloud of controversy, with the host nation’s credibility now as much a talking point as their performance.
