(Christophe Ena/AP photo)
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter was roasted on social media Monday after he took to X to ridicule FIFA for clearing USMNT striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match red card ban and accusing the organization of allowing politics to influence the World Cup.
Blatter’s broadside comes as FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces some backlash after the soccer World Cup’s ruling body announced Sunday that Balogun’s suspension would be deferred under a one-year probationary period rather than immediately enforced, allowing the key U.S. player to remain available for Monday night’s clash against Belgium.
The reported move came after Trump asked Infantino to revisit the decision, according to a source briefed on the call.
Balogun was sent off after a VAR review in the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina when officials ruled he had planted his foot into defender Tarik Muharemovic’s ankle. U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino argued the challenge never warranted a red card.
On Monday, Blatter seized on those reports in a pointed post on X.
“Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls,” Blatter wrote. “They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies.
He continued: “If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power.”
Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo… — Joseph S Blatter (@SeppBlatter) July 6, 2026
The former president, who led the organization until 2015 was himself ousted amid corruption allegations and remains barred from participating in FIFA activities until 2027 following a lengthy suspension.
The comments were immediately seized upon by soccer fans and pundits, eager to call out the apparent hypocrisy:
This the guy who had people die at his hands in Qatar building stadiums basically as slave labor right? https://t.co/t64JiC0uSG — Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 6, 2026
Thank you, Mr. Blatter, for standing against corruption. — Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) July 6, 2026
A commendable stand taken against corruption by— … omg https://t.co/wUW2s7zyzs — George Conway ⚖️🇺🇸 (@gtconway3d) July 6, 2026
Hilariously unlikely cheerleader for the rules based order and the rectitude of football governing bodies. Pure shithousery https://t.co/ufMiY9YaTe — Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) July 6, 2026
British journalist Piers Morgan, who openly criticized FIFA’s Balogun decision, mused that it’s clear something is bad when even Blatter could call the “ethics” into question:
When Sepp Blatter is questioning your ethics, it *may* be time for a rethink, @USMNT ? https://t.co/Dps9OKZptt — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 6, 2026
Others agreed with Morgan’s take:
When even Sepp Blatter thinks you might have gone a little too far https://t.co/Qzilp5aXFz — Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) July 6, 2026
Ex-Liverpool Football Club defender Jamie Carragher jokingly requested Blatter come back to “clean up FIFA”:
We need you to come back Sepp & clean up FIFA!
😇😅 — Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) July 6, 2026
Belgium is awaiting FIFA’s ruling on its appeal before facing the USMNT in Seattle on Monday night, with the winner set to advance to a quarterfinal meeting against either Portugal or Spain.
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Source: Mediaite
