Donald Trump has waded into World Cup commentary with an eight-word verdict of Harry Kane.
The US president reacted to England’s heroic performance in Mexico City, where they defied the odds to beat the co-hosts 3-2 and advance to the World Cup quarter-finals.
The Bayern Munich striker clinched one of the three goals from the penalty spot, with Jude Bellingham scoring the other two.
Summing up his thoughts: ‘Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!!!’
The Three Lions, bidding to win the tournament for the first time since 1966, looked in control following Jude Bellingham’s two first-half goals.
The first of these came from Bukayo Saka’s inviting cross and the second from Harry Kane’s pass across the goal.
But Mexico’s Julian Quinones snuck a goal back just before half time, and just 10 minutes after the restart, England were reduced to 10 men.
Despite waves of attacks from Mexico, England held on to book their place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Though he gave away a penalty, Trump was clearly impressed by the England captain’s performance
His Truth Social post is one of the rare occasions the US president has commented on the World Cup, which his country is co-hosting along with Mexico and Canada.
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In one of his only other remarks on the tournament, Trump sparked controversy over efforts to get a ban on the US’s striker lifted.
Folarin Balogun, who has scored three goals at the tournament, was dismissed during the second half of the co-hosts’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
But on Sunday, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced it would suspend Balogun’s one-match ban by a probationary period of one year.
While Mauricio Pochettino will now benefit from an unprecedented U-turn that will allow him to select one of his main attacking weapons, the US’s last 16 opponents – Belgium – are furious.
The team’s head coach, Rudi Garcia, likened the ruling to ‘April Fool’s Day’ and insisted his federation, which may yet appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, was ‘defending football’.
According to talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs, it was communicated directly to FIFA president Gianni Infantino that Trump felt the punishment was unjust, while other White House figures are also understood to have lobbied football’s world governing body.
‘The President and Infantino did speak, and the President wanted to better understand the reason why a red card was given and why there was a suspension,’ a US official confirmed.
‘The appeal process is run by an independent board. The US government provided additional evidence that was used in the appeal process.’
Trump posted on Truth Social after Balogun was allowed to play the round-of-16 match.
He wrote: ‘Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’
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