Megan Rapinoe Blames Trump for U.S. Men’s Soccer Team’s World Cup Loss

Megan Rapinoe attributed the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s World Cup loss to former President Donald Trump, asserting that his involvement disrupted the team’s underdog momentum. During an interview on “The Daily Show,” host Desi Lydic asked Rapinoe about the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s red card in a pivotal Round of 32 match. Trump had contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review this decision.

When Lydic questioned the impact of Trump’s actions on the team, Rapinoe replied, “Certainly not well, it didn’t give them the boost they were hoping for.” She remarked that it seemed to “throw them off their game.” FOLARIN BALOGUN ADMITS THAT RED-CARD REVERSAL AFFECTED USA WORLD CUP TEAMMATES: ‘A LOT OF OUTSIDE NOISE’

Rapinoe, a soccer veteran with two World Cup titles with the U.S. women’s team, explained that the men’s team initially exuded an underdog vibe. “But then you-know-who got involved, and everyone was like, nope. No. We don’t like it,” she added.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle countered, praising Trump’s leadership and the economic success of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, calling it “one of the greatest and most successful sporting events in history.” Rapinoe mentioned on her podcast “A Touch More: The Beautiful Game” that Trump’s involvement created distractions.

According to Rapinoe, the distraction affected the team’s performance, adding, “Whether you agree with it or not, it’s just a lot to contend with.” She emphasized that the team lacked experienced players familiar with such situations.

Balogun expressed how the red card controversy added “outside noise” affecting the team’s focus. “It was difficult. A lot of outside noise and that’s hard to avoid,” he revealed to CBS.