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Soccer star Megan Rapinoe thinks Donald Trump’s infamous red card reversal is partially responsible for the U.S. team’s World Cup loss to Belgium.
“It didn’t give them the boost, maybe, that they were thinking it would or that Trump was hoping that it would,” Rapinoe said on The Daily Show. “I don’t know. It seemed like it kind of, like, threw them off their game.”
After a call with Trump on July 1, FIFA President Gianni Infantino revoked a red card against U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, leading to cries of outrage and corruption. According to Rapinoe, Trump’s political interference in the tournament also dismantled the positive energy surrounding Team U.S.A, making them difficult to root for.
“They had, like, such a good vibe,” she said. “I feel like they had, like, the underdog kind of vibe going. And then you-know-who got involved, and everyone was like, nope. No. We don’t like it.”
Rapinoe, who was part of the U.S. national teams that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019, also said that Trump’s intrusion motivated the U.S. team’s opponents, contributing to their subsequent loss against Belgium.
“Obviously, Belgium was like, ‘No, we absolutely can’t lose to this team now,’” she said.
The American team’s loss marks the latest instance of the “Trump sports curse,” a trend indicating Trump’s interference and support of certain sports teams results in bad luck. Other examples include the World Cup finals, when Argentina lost to Spain after Trump stated he believed the former would win.
Fans also cited the curse after the Knicks Game 3 loss in the NBA championship, which Trump watched from the owner’s box at Madison Square Garden.
“Trump’s sports curse strikes again,” Late Night host Seth Meyers said this week. “He goes to the N.B.A. finals, the Knicks lose. He intervenes to get a red card overturned, U.S.A. loses. He says you can’t bet against Messi, Argentina loses. He owned a U.S.F.L. team, and the whole f---ing league folded. He’s a sports reaper.”
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