Former President Donald Trump has once again expressed admiration for England's football captain, Harry Kane, calling him a "great player" and stating he has played golf with the athlete.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office hours after England's 3-2 victory over Mexico in a World Cup match, Trump lauded Kane. "What a game that was, England and Mexico," Trump said. "In the two countries I don't know the players, although I think Kane is a great player. See, I played golf with him and I like him a lot. He's a good golfer, but he's really great."
Trump previously praised Kane on his TruthSocial platform after the forward scored a penalty against Mexico. England secured their spot in the World Cup quarter-finals with goals from Jude Bellingham and Kane, despite a late penalty from Mexico's Raul Jimenez.
The former president, who owns numerous golf courses, and Kane, an avid golfer, have a shared interest in the sport, though the specifics of when and where they might have played together were not disclosed.
Trump, who has shown interest in the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, also commented on FIFA's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's one-match ban. Balogun, a U.S. forward born in Brooklyn, received a red card during a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The suspension was deferred for a probationary year.
"The people in Belgium, if they win the game, they can be very proud," Trump stated, referencing the U.S. team's potential opponents. "If they would win the game with a player missing, it would have been a different feeling. All I did was ask for a review, I didn't say: 'You have to do this'. Gianni Infantino is a smart, tough man and his stock has gone through the roof because the job he's done has been great. I think we need all the best players on the field."
A FIFA statement confirmed that the implementation of Balogun's match suspension was suspended for a probationary period of one year, as per article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code. This regulation allows the committee to suspend disciplinary measures, a rule also applied to Cristiano Ronaldo previously.