Roy Keane (foto: //)
Roy Keane reacted with disbelief after Donald Trump publicly explained his conversation with Gianni Infantino about Folarin Balogun's controversial World Cup suspension.
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The controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun's eligibility at the 2026 World Cup has taken another dramatic turn after Donald Trump publicly explained his conversation with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, leaving Roy Keane in disbelief.
The United States striker was initially suspended after receiving a straight red card in the victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, ruling him out of the Round of 16 against Belgium.
However, FIFA later suspended the ban on a one-year probationary basis, allowing Balogun to play in Seattle. The decision quickly became one of the biggest controversies of the tournament.
Speaking at a press conference, Trump confirmed he had contacted Infantino about the incident.
"All I did was ask for a review. I didn't say, 'You have to do this.' I didn't think it was a foul," Trump said.
The comments were discussed on The Overlap, where former Manchester United captain Roy Keane struggled to hide his astonishment.
After Gary Neville read Trump's remarks aloud, Keane leaned forward and asked:
"Is this real?"
When Neville confirmed the quotes were genuine, Keane simply replied:
"I can't believe it."
Keane was far from the only prominent football figure to question the situation.
Belgium strongly criticised FIFA's decision before the match, while Thomas Tuchel and Ståle Solbakken also expressed concerns about the governing body's handling of the case.
Neville argued that the controversy had damaged the tournament and suggested the United States could have avoided further criticism by choosing not to field Balogun.
"I've never seen or heard anything like it. FIFA has a real problem because this isn't going away," Neville said.
"This is the President of the United States admitting he contacted FIFA and asked for the incident to be reviewed. Whether people agree or disagree, this has become one of the biggest talking points of the World Cup."
The debate surrounding Balogun's suspension continued even after Belgium eliminated the United States, ensuring the incident remained one of the defining off-field stories of the tournament.