The day Infantino & Trump BROKE the World Cup - The Sports Agents
7/9/202641 min
Can Gianni Infantino survive his friendship with Donald Trump?
The presidents of both FIFA and the USA have been busy this week ensuring that USA could field top scorer Folarin Balogun in their Quarter-final match against Belgium.
Trump’s incredible intervention into football has rocked the sport and left FIFA’s credibility in tatters - particularly after England defender Jarell Quansah’s own red card ban is extended - is it one rule for Trump’s team and another for the everyone else?
As FIFA stands accused of losing control of their own World Cup, and world leaders begin to ask questions, how does Trump’s close friend, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, survive this one?
Elsewhere as England prepare to face Norway in their quarter-final match, two of the best strikers in the business take to the field in Harry Kane & Erling Haaland - but how do you stop Haaland and Kane from scoring? Nedum has a plan and it doesn’t involve a shotgun…
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMark Chapman· Host0:00
This has now put a cloud over the tournament, and FIFA have brought this, and Infantino has brought this, all on themselves and himself You're part of the FIFA team.
Donald Trump· Soundbite0:09
That's good.
Mark Chapman· Host0:10
[laughs] [laughing] This is kind of FIFA overstepping about the thing that everyone cares about, which is, can my team win a game? FIFA had lost control of their own tournament.
Adam Crafton· Guest0:25
He's forever gonna be known... This is gonna be the Balogun situation. That this is gonna follow him around for the rest of his career. That's the terrible thing for this player who, who had himself a ridiculous World Cup and opened a lot of eyes.
Donald Trump· Soundbite0:35
And you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize.
Nedum Onuoha· Host0:41
FIFA became political, and that ultimately means that the leader, in my opinion, has to change.
Adam Crafton· Guest0:45
[upbeat music] This is a global production.
Mark Chapman· Host0:51
[upbeat music] Hello, welcome to The Sports Agents. Hi, Nadim. All good?
Nedum Onuoha· Host1:00
Oh, superb. And yourself?
Mark Chapman· Host1:02
How's America?
Nedum Onuoha· Host1:03
Uh, it's American, yeah, yeah. How are you? How are you? Where are you?
Mark Chapman· Host1:07
Just in a, in a UK heat wave.
Nedum Onuoha· Host1:10
Oh, right, okay. Decent, yeah. No air con. No shame, no shame.
Mark Chapman· Host1:12
Wouldn't, wouldn't like to be playing football in this heat. I'd, I'd need a hydration break. [laughs] Definitely.
Nedum Onuoha· Host1:17
Do a hydration break or two. Just one or two, what do you reckon?
Mark Chapman· Host1:19
I'd probably need about seven in a f- in a 45-minute half.
Nedum Onuoha· Host1:23
[laughs] I respect you, Chappers.
Mark Chapman· Host1:24
I'll let you into a secret. I played, I, uh, played paddle on Sunday with three former professional