Former United States President Donald Trump has weighed in on England's World Cup semi-final defeat, questioning the tactical decision to deploy player Harry Kane in a defensive role during the second half of their match against Argentina.
"You have a great player in England who I've played golf with. And he is Harry [Kane] who has been fantastic," Trump said. "I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player. What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence."
England lost the match 2-1 after Argentina scored two late goals. Manager Thomas Tuchel's second-half substitutions and tactical shift to a back five have drawn criticism following the defeat. Trump suggested a need for offensive strategy, stating, "We got to be a little offensive, right. But no, I'm not going to call it, what do I know about coaching? But that was a little unusual."
Trump also discussed his interaction with FIFA President Gianni Infantino concerning a one-match suspension for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun was initially set to miss a crucial last-16 tie against Belgium after receiving a red card in a prior match. FIFA ultimately suspended the automatic ban for 12 months.
"This has been a tournament like no other. Filled with fierce competition, unforgettable moments," Trump said. "Probably the most unforgettable is when they gave that gentleman... is it a red card?"
He recounted contacting Infantino, saying, "I said 'Gianni, I'd like to make a recommendation. Let the guy in the game!' No, I didn't say that. I said I'd like to wage a complaint. And actually I had no idea what was going to happen, but you know it is so much better the way it worked out because there is no controversy. [Belgium] won the game and our team had all of its players. You made another great decision if you think about it, but you'll never get credit for it."
Trump also commended Infantino and described the World Cup hosted in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada as potentially "the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world." Infantino echoed this sentiment, calling the World Cup a success that "exceeded expectations" and stated, "The American dream, Mr President, came to reality. We united the world in America."