United News of Bangladesh

Mikel Merino delivered another late match-winning goal as Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 on Friday to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup semifinals, where they will face France. Just days after scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Portugal, Merino once again made an immediate impact from the bench. Introduced in the 86th minute, he scored two minutes later after Belgium substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens failed to hold Pau Cubarsí's shot, allowing Merino to tap in the decisive goal. The Arsenal midfielder said he was delighted to help Spain once again, crediting both preparation and persistence for being in the right place at the right time. Spain had taken the lead in the 30th minute when Fabián Ruiz converted a rebound, but Belgium equalized before halftime through Charles De Ketelaere, ending Spain's remarkable run of not conceding a goal throughout the tournament. Merino's late strike sent Spain into its first World Cup semifinal since lifting the trophy in 2010. The victory also set up a highly anticipated clash with France in Arlington, Texas, with both unbeaten teams seeking a place in the final. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente expressed confidence ahead of the semifinal, describing it as a meeting between two football giants while insisting his side has what it takes to overcome the tournament favorites. Belgium suffered a major setback in the second half when first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced off with an injury. Lammens replaced him in his first World Cup appearance but was unable to prevent Merino's late winner after spilling a powerful effort inside the penalty area. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia praised his players' performance, saying they matched Spain for much of the contest but lacked the fortune needed to defeat a team of Spain's quality. Defender Brandon Mechele also said the squad could take pride in its tournament despite the heartbreaking exit. Spain extended its unbeaten run in competitive matches to 37 games, while Belgium's 18-match unbeaten streak came to an end. The match also ended Spain's impressive defensive record after goalkeeper Unai Simón had gone 650 World Cup minutes without conceding. That streak was broken when De Ketelaere headed in Timothy Castagne's cross before halftime. Belgium was further weakened before kickoff after captain Youri Tielemans suffered an injury during the warm-up, joining defender Amadou Onana on the sidelines.  

Portugal has appointed veteran coach Jorge Jesus as the new head coach of its national football team following the country's disappointing Round of 16 exit at the FIFA World Cup. The Portuguese Football Federation announced the appointment on Friday, confirming that the 71-year-old will succeed Roberto Martinez, whose tenure ended after Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the last 16. Jesus brings decades of coaching experience, having managed several top Portuguese clubs, including Benfica and Sporting Lisbon. Most recently, he was in charge of Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. Announcing the appointment on social media platform X, the Portuguese national team said: "A new journey begins today. Welcome to the National Team, Mister Jorge Jesus." Portugal's early World Cup elimination prompted a change in leadership as the federation looks to rebuild ahead of future international competitions.

Thousands of football fans gathered at El-Alamein Airport on Friday to welcome home Egypt's national team after its memorable World Cup campaign ended with a 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the knockout stage. Supporters waved pictures of captain Mohamed Salah, carried banners praising the team and cheered as the players returned from the tournament. Egypt reached the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in the country's history after defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout, with Salah playing a key role in the victory. The squad is scheduled to meet President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Saturday. Earlier this week, the president thanked the team in a Facebook post for what he described as its "honourable performance" and for achieving a historic milestone in Egyptian football. The team's World Cup run had united fans across the country, with people gathering in homes, cafés and public squares to watch Tuesday's match against Argentina. Egyptian flags were displayed from balconies, shops and streets as supporters rallied behind the team. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has raised concerns over the officiating in the match, saying it was dissatisfied with several refereeing decisions, including those involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and several players also criticised the referees after Argentina scored three unanswered goals in 13 minutes to complete one of the biggest comeback victories in World Cup history. In a statement, the EFA said protecting the rights and interests of the national team "cannot be ignored or treated as a secondary issue." Responding to the criticism, FIFA's head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, said debate over refereeing decisions is a normal part of football but rejected what he called "unfounded allegations" against match officials. He stressed that no one should question the integrity of FIFA World Cup referees, warning that such accusations can lead to threats against officials and their families.

The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting U.S.-allied Mideast countries in an exchange of fire that threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Middle East. Back-and-forth attacks, including a day earlier, have repeatedly threatened the ceasefire. But Thursday’s appeared bigger all around, with sirens sounding at least three times in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters, and missiles targeting Kuwait and Qatar. Sirens sounded Thursday afternoon in Jordan as well, where the U.S. has stationed troops and aircraft. An Iranian official accused the U.S. of launching an airstrike later Thursday targeting the area around Iran’s sole nuclear power plant, and other explosions were reported elsewhere in the country during the afternoon. Early Friday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad after days of public mourning. Khamenei was killed in the opening salvos of the Iran war. The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz signaled the end of a fragile ceasefire and threatened to escalate the conflict if they didn't stop. That raised concerns that the region could tip back into a war that would engulf several countries and could halt energy shipments through the strait that are crucial for the global economy. In Iran, the two days of American airstrikes have killed at least 14 people and wounded another 78, Iran’s Health Ministry said Thursday. Most were reportedly members of the armed forces. In Kuwait, the military said falling debris wounded one person as the nation shot down three ballistic missiles, a cruise missile and 10 drones. Bahrain said it shot down incoming fire, without elaborating, and Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said all incoming fire from Iran had been intercepted. Iranian state TV said the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard fired missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan. There was no immediate word of damage in Qatar. US strikes hit more targets The U.S. military’s Central Command said it hit 90 targets across Iran, releasing black-and-white footage of what appeared to be strikes on an airport runway and missile launchers. The U.S. said the strikes were intended to “further degrade” Iran’s ability “to threaten freedom of navigation” in the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas passed before the war began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28. Traffic has picked up somewhat since a tentative deal last month included opening the waterway. Maritime data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence said Thursday that preliminary data showed at least 576 ships passed through the strait in June, compared to 233 in May. More than 3,100 transited the strait in June 2025. Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including Bushehr, home to Iran’s nuclear power plant complex, and southern port cities. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Ehsan Jahanian, a local official in Bushehr, as accusing the U.S. of striking near the plant around noon, hours after Central Command said it had ended its latest round of strikes. Asked for comment on Bushehr, Central Command referred to a press release that detailed targets but made no mention of the nuclear power plant. Streets are jammed for Khamenei’s final funeral procession For the first time since April, U.S. strikes also appeared to target Iranian bridges. State media reported a strike on a railway bridge in Iran’s northeastern Golestan province, and the Revolutionary Guard said two bridges were attacked on the route to Mashhad, where tens of thousands of mourners thronged wide boulevards during the final funeral procession for Khamenei on Thursday. People pressed forward to touch a vehicle carrying Khamenei's body. Many carried Iranian flags and images of the late leader or banners evoking Shiite Islam’s long history of martyrs. Some signs called for the death of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Khamenei ruled Iran for nearly 37 years before being killed in the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that started the war. The funeral processions began last Saturday, with authorities shutting down streets, airspace and daily life in Tehran and other cities as throngs commemorated the man who led Iran for decades with an iron fist while confronting the West. Trump issues another warning to Iran if attacks on shipping happen again After leaving a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump posted several videos on his social media site of what he said were explosions in Iran and issued another warning to the Islamic Republic. “This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” Trump wrote Wednesday, a day after three tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also renewed his past threats to hit Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including electric and desalination plants, and to seize Kharg Island, through which some 90% of Iranian oil exports pass. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a key negotiator in talks seeking a permanent end to the war, was defiant in a post on X on Thursday morning: “America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: If you strike, you’ll get hit.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on Telegram that he spoke by phone with his Saudi, Turkish and Omani counterparts and with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has been one of the main mediators in the war. The outreach suggested efforts may be underway to reduce tensions. Talks on reaching a final deal were to begin after Khamenei's funeral Trump said Wednesday that the interim ceasefire agreement was “over.” He said he would allow negotiations to continue but thought negotiators were “wasting their time.” Negotiations to reach a final deal were due to start after the funeral for Khamenei. The talks are meant to focus on the toughest matters, including fully reopening the strait and rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.  

France did it to Morocco again at the World Cup. For the second straight tournament, Morocco was ousted by the French 2-0 — this time in the quarterfinals on Thursday at Gillette Stadium, four years after losing by the same score in the semifinals. With very few attacking chances, Morocco landed only one shot on goal, and that came in the 82nd minute while already trailing by two goals. It was the same ending as in Qatar, when the Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach the semifinals at a World Cup. “The future will be bright if we continue like this, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t want to win today. Of course, we wanted to win today,” Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said through a translator. “We did everything we could to win, but we faced a very difficult opponent. It’s a disappointment, of course, but we’ll keep working for the future.” The Atlas Lions' best chance came when midfielder Azzedine Ounahi had a shot from the edge of the box but goalkeeper Mike Maignan made a diving stop, knocking the ball away and, essentially, ending the hopes of Morocco. “They had no real forwards using their speed in the wide areas,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “We were possessing the ball, they had no way to be dangerous to us.” It wasn’t like Morocco didn’t make a hard push at this year's World Cup. They recruited talented 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, who could have been playing with France's youth teams. He was born in Senlis, an hour north of Paris, and after representing France in every age group possible, he switched allegiance. “We know we represent more than just one country,” Ouahbi said. “We represent the Moroccan people, and many countries across Asia and Africa. Many people see themselves in this team, and we’ll keep working to win titles in the future.” Morocco’s best opportunity in the opening half came just before the halftime whistle when Achraf Hakimi sent a free kick from just outside the box past the right post. “The first half was very complicated. France was very good with the ball,” Ouahbi said. “They caused a lot of problems on the sides with their players, and also in the center. When we had ball possession, our transitions were not so great, so we had to run a bit more and they ended up being in a comfort zone.”  

Kylian Mbappé shook off a missed penalty kick to score his eighth goal of this year's World Cup, helping France beat Morocco 2-0 and reach the semifinals for the third time in a row. Now Les Bleus have to hope he can overcome an injury that had him summoning for help and leaving the game in the 77th minute. Mbappé said the injury was minor, and he showed no ill effects while celebrating with his team after the whistle. “I took a knock to the ankle, but I’m fine," said Mbappé, who was replaced by Jean-Philippe Mateta. “At that point, JP was in better shape than I was to play the final minutes.” The reigning Golden Boot winner and only the second teenager — after Pele — ever to score in a World Cup final, Mbappé made up for his miss on a first-half penalty by scoring in the 60th minute. It was his 20th goal in 20 World Cup games and his eighth in 2026, equaling Argentina captain Lionel Messi for the tournament lead. Mbappé also assisted on Ousmane Dembélé’s goal six minutes later to help the two-time champions reach the semifinals, where they will play either Spain or Belgium. France has never failed to make a World Cup final in two previous tournaments with Mbappé. “There’s only one way to relax, and that’s by winning,” Mbappé said. “Until we’ve done that, we don’t let up. We’re in the semifinals and we’re very happy, but there’s still a long way to go. We realize that what lies ahead is even tougher than what we’ve been through, but we’re ready to face anything.” Asked if this was his strongest France team yet, Mbappé said it has the most potential — “for the time being.” “But I always say that the strongest teams are the ones that win,” he said. "I don’t see a World Cup next to me, so for now, we’re not the strongest team.” Mbappé gave France fans a scare when he went to the field in pain after he was stepped on by Morocco defender Issa Diop in the 63rd minute. He remained in the game until the 76th minute, when he dropped to the turf and waved to the sideline. After the training staff checked on him, Mbappé was subbed off — waving to the Gillette Stadium crowd as he left — and watched the end of the match from the bench with an ice pack on his right ankle. “It's a slight pain in the ankle,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “Nothing serious.” Mbappé had a chance from the penalty spot in the first half after drawing a foul from Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui in the box in the 28th minute. But goalkeeper Yassine Bounou guessed correctly, diving to his left to stop the attempt. Mbappé said the long delay while the play was being reviewed left him wondering if he would be attempting the shot at all. “It’s complicated, because there’s some kind of imbroglio," he said. "I let myself be de-concentrated. That’s a scenario I hadn’t experienced yet.” But Mbappé delivered in the second half when he dribbled into the area and let loose a rocket that went just inside the post. Messi also has scored eight goals at the tournament and Norway forward Erling Haaland has seven heading into their quarterfinal matches on Saturday. (Mbappé technically holds the Golden Boot lead because he has more assists, which is the tiebreaker.) Mbappé's 20th goal put him one behind Messi on the all-time World Cup scoring list. Messi has 21 goals in 31 career World Cup matches over six tournaments, breaking the record of 16 that had been held by Germany striker Miroslav Klose.

France coach Didier Deschamps spent much of his World Cup news conference on Wednesday responding to questions about issues off the pitch, ranging from racist remarks directed at French star Kylian Mbappé to refereeing decisions and his own future. Meanwhile, French authorities are preparing for possible unrest surrounding Thursday's World Cup quarterfinal between France and Morocco. Thousands of police officers are expected to be deployed across the country after the two sides' 2022 World Cup semifinal sparked more than 250 arrests, many of them in Paris. Even without the off-field concerns, the France-Morocco clash is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing quarterfinals. France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A victory on Thursday would keep France on course to become only the third nation, after Brazil and Germany, to reach the final of three consecutive World Cups. Morocco made history in 2022 as the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal. "We met them four years ago in the semifinal. They also played in the African final. It is a really great, excellent team with top-notch individuals. They're not here to play. They're there to win," Deschamps said. "They like to attack to score goals. We have to be ready." Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said his team has bigger ambitions than simply reaching the last eight. "I don't like this feeling where we can say what we've done up until now is great and the rest is a bonus," Ouahbi said. "No, the only bonus is to win the World Cup." Midfielder Brahim Diaz said Morocco's 3-0 victory over Canada in the round of 16 reflected the team's mentality. "This is our mentality," Diaz said. "We want to keep going. Everybody wants to play in this type of game." Olise one booking away from suspension France midfielder Michael Olise will have to be careful after FIFA rejected France's appeal against the yellow card he received during the 1-0 round-of-16 win over Paraguay. "We received FIFA's decision this morning that the yellow card was maintained," Deschamps said. If Olise receives another yellow card against Morocco, he will miss the next match. Olise was booked in the 97th minute after an altercation with Paraguay's Matías Galarza. Video replays showed Olise grabbing Galarza's jersey before the Paraguayan fell to the ground. Morocco, meanwhile, will be without midfielder Ismael Saibari, who suffered a thigh injury during the win over Canada, Ouahbi confirmed. France's appeal came after US President Donald Trump last week personally appealed to FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the suspension of US forward Folarin Balogun following a red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina. FIFA later overturned the suspension, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium. The decision, however, did not prevent the United States from suffering a 4-1 defeat to Belgium and exiting the tournament. Deschamps focused despite off-field distractions On Monday, Mbappé condemned racist comments made by a Paraguayan senator after France's victory over Paraguay. Deschamps said his captain remains fully focused. "Kylian is OK. Whatever happens, I don't want to look back and think about it again. He's a very strong guy mentally, physically. He's just focused on tomorrow's game," he said. Questions were also raised over refereeing after three French players were booked during the heated match against Paraguay, while Paraguay received only one yellow card after the game. "It is out of our control," Deschamps said. "I trust the refereeing. Some refereeing decisions may lead to discussions. It really depends on everyone's opinion. Our opponent is Morocco, not the referee." The 57-year-old Deschamps, who has announced he will step down after the tournament, also brushed aside questions about his future. The captain of France's 1998 World Cup-winning team has coached the national side for the past 14 years and guided them to the 2018 World Cup title. "The last game could have been the last one," he said. "In my head, with the technical staff, we want to win tomorrow. That's the objective. In a football game there are many possibilities when it comes to tomorrow's result. I'm focused on the Moroccan team so we can win that game."

Switzerland booked a place in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in more than seven decades after Ruben Vargas converted the decisive penalty in a 4-3 shootout win over Colombia following a goalless draw on Tuesday. The Swiss will now take on defending champions Argentina on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Argentina earlier defeated Egypt 3-2 to secure its quarterfinal berth. Switzerland had not reached the last eight of a World Cup since hosting the tournament in 1954. The team was also without young midfielder Johan Manzambi, who suffered an injury during training on Monday. Vargas, who has scored twice in the tournament, had also left Monday's training session early but came on during stoppage time at the end of regulation before converting the winning penalty. In the shootout, Colombia defender Davinson Sánchez struck the crossbar with his penalty, while Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel denied Cucho Hernández to seal victory. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was among the spectators at BC Place, where a sellout crowd of 52,497, mostly dressed in Colombia's yellow colours, created a vibrant atmosphere. "They had the crowd on their side, so it was a tough game for us," Kobel said. "We know we had some stretches of the game where we had to defend and stay strong mentally. Obviously we had a few players missing so, yeah, it was a big challenge for us." Colombia had failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. Their best recent performance came in 2014, when they reached the quarterfinals in Brazil after beating Uruguay in the round of 16 before losing 2-1 to the host nation. "The dream was enormous," Colombia midfielder John Arias said. "The country showed us that it believed in us, that it lived every moment with us, and I think that only makes the pain even greater." Switzerland had reached the round of 16 in each of the previous three World Cups but had been unable to progress further when the tournament featured 32 teams. "We worked very hard, and now we have this opportunity," Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said. "This is going to be a very interesting matchup from our point of view. We will try to compete against the reigning champions and it's going to be amazing. Switzerland against Argentina in a quarterfinal. I am so excited. I think that I need maybe a couple of hours more or another day to process what just happened, and then tomorrow we will start focusing on Argentina." The match was closely contested, with Switzerland relying on its organised and disciplined approach while Colombia played a more physical and attacking game. The Swiss enjoyed a slight advantage in possession. Manzambi, the 20-year-old Freiburg midfielder who has scored three goals in the World Cup, missed the match after emerging as one of the tournament's breakout performers. Switzerland were also without Luca Jaquez and midfielder Michel Aebischer. Colombia created the first clear opportunity in the 21st minute when Gustavo Puerta's long-range effort was pushed away by Kobel. Switzerland threatened in the 30th minute through Fabian Reider, whose powerful strike was punched clear by goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. Minutes later, Vargas made another important save to deny Dan Ndoye. Reider came close again in the 52nd minute when his free kick curled around the wall but hit the side netting. During the first period of extra time, Jhon Lucumi's header struck the crossbar as Colombia increased the pressure on the Swiss defence. "I don't think you can overstate what a huge success this is — for us, for this team, for Switzerland, for such a small country. To be among the top eight teams in the world is incredible," Kobel said. "It's an unbelievable feeling. I'm incredibly proud." Colombia and Switzerland had previously met at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where Los Cafeteros claimed a 2-0 victory in the group stage.

Lionel Messi delivered another memorable performance at this year's World Cup, scoring a crucial goal as Argentina staged a remarkable late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 on Tuesday and secure a place in the quarterfinals. The defending champions will face either Switzerland or Colombia in Saturday's quarterfinal in Kansas City, Missouri. Argentina appeared headed for elimination after falling 2-0 behind on goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico and remaining two goals down until the 79th minute. Cristian Romero sparked the comeback by pulling one back in the 79th minute before Messi equalised in the 83rd with his eighth goal of the tournament and a record-extending 21st World Cup goal. The Argentina captain was seen in tears after the final whistle. Enzo Fernandez completed the dramatic turnaround by scoring the winner in stoppage time, sealing one of the most remarkable comebacks in World Cup history. Messi had earlier missed a first-half penalty, with Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir making the save. He also struck the post later in the match when Argentina trailed 1-0. Argentina are aiming to become the first nation to retain the World Cup title since Brazil won back-to-back championships in 1958 and 1962.

President Donald Trump said Monday he asked FIFA to review the red card shown to United States forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup but insisted he did not pressure football's governing body to overturn the decision. "All I did was ask for a review," Trump said during an unrelated Oval Office event. "I didn't say, 'You have to do this.'" Trump confirmed that he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino after Balogun was sent off in the United States' 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina last week in Santa Clara, California, and requested that the decision be reviewed. FIFA later lifted Balogun's automatic one-match suspension for the challenge, allowing the striker to play in Monday's Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle. The decision was welcomed by many in the United States but sparked criticism internationally. The Belgian football federation challenged Balogun's eligibility for the match, while UEFA described FIFA's move as "incomprehensible and unjustifiable." Speaking on Monday, Trump described the referee's decision as a "horrible" call and said it would have cast a shadow over the tournament if Balogun, the United States' leading scorer with three goals, had missed the Belgium match and the team lost. "I didn't think it was a foul," Trump said. "I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled." The Republican president said he understands sports "really well," but admitted he initially did not know what a red card was or that it carried an automatic one-match suspension. After learning of the punishment, he decided to intervene by requesting a review. He also criticised the use of slow-motion video review, saying it can make incidents appear more serious than they actually are. "Belgium has got a great team," Trump said. "We have to have our best players, and they have to have their best. And if we win or we lose, it's fair." Shortly after Trump's remarks, Infantino issued a statement on X explaining their conversation and defending the independence of FIFA's disciplinary process. "During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies," Infantino said. "That is how FIFA's system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold." Trump's Oval Office event was primarily focused on new investment accounts for American children, and he initially tried to steer attention away from the World Cup controversy, joking that reporters were not interested in football. However, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas praised Trump during the event, saying, "On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card. It was spectacular." Asked again about his involvement, Trump reiterated that he had simply made his case to Infantino. "I didn't tell him what to do, I can't tell him what to do," he said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also defended FIFA's decision on Monday, saying it was the right outcome. Before a meeting with Chile's foreign minister, Rubio questioned why Belgium would want to win if people argued the United States had been without its leading scorer. He joked that the issue was becoming an "international incident" ahead of this week's NATO summit in Turkey. Balogun received the red card after his boot caught Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic's ankle during the Round of 32 match. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus did not initially show a card, but after reviewing the incident in slow motion, he issued a red card. Balogun later said he believed a yellow card would have been a fair decision. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia criticised FIFA's decision on Sunday, saying it sounded like an April Fools' Day joke. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, welcomed the decision, arguing that Balogun had already been sufficiently punished by missing the remainder of the Bosnia-Herzegovina match. According to a senior U.S. official familiar with the discussions, Trump administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and White House FIFA Task Force leader Andrew Giuliani, believed the video review process that led to the red card had been flawed. The issue was discussed extensively on the flight back from Santa Clara to Washington, with officials concluding that if the slow-motion review had been improperly used, the red card should be overturned, the official said. Administration officials later reviewed FIFA's rules, consulted lawyers and spoke with U.S. Soccer before Trump discussed the matter with Infantino, whom he has spoken with several times a week since the World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, began on June 11.