The vice-president of US Soccer has launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino on the day of the World Cup final in the United States.
Hours before Trump is expected to hand the trophy over to the winner of Spain vs Argentina at MetLife Stadium, a short drive away from Manhattan, Nathan Goldberg Crenier wrote in The Guardian that Trump leaves a ‘moral stain’ on the tournament and that Infantino has been ‘blessing Trump’s wars in the name of soccer.’
Infantino created the FIFA Peace Prize and awarded it to Trump last December at the World Cup draw in Washington DC, shortly before Trump greenlighted a plan to remove Venezuela president Nicolas Maduro in a midnight raid and then later going to war with Iran.
Goldberg Crenier said the successes of the World Cup have come in spite of Trump and Infantino and that visitors from around the globe have been surprised that Americans do not share Trump’s ‘hardline anti-immigrant and anti-foreigner policies’.
He slammed Infantino for aligning soccer, a game he describes as ‘inclusive, democratic and accessible to everyone’ with Trump, who the US Soccer official described as overseeing a ‘political project… openly rooted in division, selfishness and violence.’
Goldberg Crenier added: ‘While the World Cup will go down as a massive commercial success, no amount of revenue will ever erase the moral stain of blessing Trump’s wars in the name of soccer.
The 2026 World Cup has a ‘moral stain’ due to FIFA’s close ties to Donald Trump, a US Soccer vice president has claimed
Nathan Goldberg Crenier attacked Trump hours before the World Cup final is played in the US
‘Yes, it’s important for FIFA to foster a good working relationship with any host country’s government, but Infantino has repeatedly crossed the line between professionalism and groveling.’
The USA team, meanwhile, made it as far as the round of 16 before being thrashed 4-1 by Belgium in Seattle. At a time when momentum and support around the group was surging, Trump caused outrage by questioning Infantino over the suspension of star striker Folarin Balogun, who had been sent off in the previous game.
Balogun’s red card was then overturned before the Belgium showdown – an unprecedented move given FIFA’s rules and one that caused widespread outrage.
Now, the US Soccer VP claimed the incident has tarnished USA’s credibility in the game and appeared to suggest that Trump should take some of the blame for such a heavy loss.
‘When it comes to Trump’s meddling in the Balogun case, the biggest casualty was soccer’s integrity,’ Goldberg Crenier added.
‘Sure, in a narrow sense, US Soccer benefitted from having a star player back from suspension. But in a more meaningful sense, US Soccer was also a victim.
‘Our players were swept up in a political firestorm before the most important game of their lives, and our biggest chance to showcase American soccer to the world will now forever be tainted by accusations of favoritism at best and corruption at worst, unfairly clouding US Soccer’s credibility and reputation around the world.’
Balogun himself said earlier this week that he felt Trump’s intervention caused unnecessary pressure on the USA team.
Goldberg Crenier also attacked FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his relationship with Trump
President Trump is expected to hand the World Cup trophy over to the winner on Sunday
In an appearance on CBS Mornings, Balogun said: ‘My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back in the team. But when I started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy.
‘I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it’s something that is so unique.’
As for Infantino, Goldberg Crenier called for soccer authorities around the globe to ‘reject Infantino’s egotistical and transactional view of the beautiful game’.
Trump and Infantino will be together for Sunday’s final, which sees European champions Spain bidding to beat current holders Argentina in what is almost certainly the final World Cup game of Lionel Messi’s career.
As for the US team, they are awaiting an answer from head coach Mauricio Pochettino on whether he wants to continue in his current role.
