The United States face the biggest day of soccer in their history on Monday as they play Belgium in what will be a spicy encounter for a place in the World Cup quarterfinals after an intervention by Donald Trump further fired up the Belgians.
They are furious US star striker Folarin Balogun can play after a one match ban was suspended for a year – the decision came after Trump phoned Fifa chief Gianni Infantino
The Royal Belgian Football Association said in a statement it had "no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match."
Balogun, who has scored three goals at the World Cup, had been set to miss the clash in Seattle after receiving a straight red card following a video review for stepping on a Bosnia-Herzegovina defender's foot in the round-of-32 match that the US won 2-0.
Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban.
Trump called Infantino asking him to review Balogun's punishment, two sources familiar with the matter told AFP.
World football's governing body said on Sunday the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a stunning move for which no specific explanation was offered.
"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The US team welcomed the decision, which coach Mauricio Pochettino called "fair", but it sparked outrage from Belgium and other teams.
European football's governing body UEFA slammed the ruling declaring FIFA had "crossed a red line".
"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision," added UEFA in a strongly-worded statement.
The European Union also took issue with Trump's intervention.
"Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport," said EU sports commissioner Glenn Micallef.
"Our focus should instead be on the real governance challenges facing sport, including the weaponisation of sport for political purposes."
The Belgian government were non-plussed by the decision calling it "incomprehensible".
England coach Thomas Tuchel, asked about the Balogun case after having one of his own players sent off in the nerve-jangling 3-2 win against Mexico on Sunday, said: "Where does this start and end now? Can we overturn it?
"Where to draw the line is the question I ask. Where does this end now?
"It's my question, I don't have an answer," the German added.
- 'Trying to kill me' -
Tuchel's compatriot Jurgen Klopp, who is in line to become the next coach of Germany, did not mince his words.
"This is our game, not theirs... If Trump and Infantino really worked this all out between themselves, that's crazy. It calls everything into question...
"These two individuals, neither of whom has a clue about football, shouldn't have anything to do with it," the 59-year-old added.
The stakes in Monday's game are huge for the co-hosts. Playing on home soil, a strong US start to the tournament has raised expectations to fever-pitch levels among the American public.
Mauricio Pochettino's side are targeting a historic run to at least the quarterfinals, which they have not reached since 2002.
In the first game Monday, European champions Spain face neighbours Portugal in Dallas for a place in the last eight.
On Sunday, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo came out fighting against critics he said had been "trying to kill me for the past 23 years".
Ronaldo, 41, admitted he was not the player he used to be, but said "I am not doing too bad", pointing to the three goals he has scored at the tournament.
Relishing taking on journalists eager to ask about his future and the harsh spotlight on him, Ronaldo told reporters: "It's been like this since I was 18, it is not going to change."
Spain started the World Cup sluggishly but found their form in breezing past Austria 3-0 in the last 32 and their own superstar, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, is ready to showcase his precocious talents, coach Luis de la Fuente said.
"He likes to be the focus, he likes the responsibility, he likes to take the initiative," said de la Fuente.
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