According to a report on the US “New York Times” website on July 6, a new conflict emerged on the 6th between the US and Europe, which already had a tense relationship. In the World Cup match between the US and Belgium that night, an American player who was banned was reinstated. Belgian officials and European footballers expressed strong dissatisfaction with this. Over the past year and a half, transatlantic relations have continued to be under pressure. Today, many people in Europe are outraged by the US President's meddling in soccer affairs. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévost, a former soccer referee, said on the 6th that FIFA's ruling may damage the fair play principle it has always flaunted. Prevo said, “There are obviously many questions about this decision. If this puzzling decision was made because of a phone call, it is certainly trampling on the basic principles upheld by soccer and the sports world.” The Federation of European Football Associations said in a statement that FIFA's revision “crossed the red line”, calling it “an unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unreasonable decision.” Jacob Funke Kirkgaard, an analyst at the Brueghel Institute in Belgium, said that European politicians may regard this soccer turmoil as another clear proof that “America under Trump is a country that ignores regulations and is not bound.”

According to a report on the US “New York Times” website on July 6, a new conflict emerged on the 6th between the US and Europe, which already had a tense relationship. In the World Cup match between the US and Belgium that night, an American player who was banned was reinstated. Belgian officials and European footballers expressed strong dissatisfaction with this. Over the past year and a half, transatlantic relations have continued to be under pressure. Today, many people in Europe are outraged by the US President's meddling in soccer affairs. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévost, a former soccer referee, said on the 6th that FIFA's ruling may damage the fair play principle it has always flaunted. Prevo said, “There are obviously many questions about this decision. If this puzzling decision was made because of a phone call, it is certainly trampling on the basic principles upheld by soccer and the sports world.” The Federation of European Football Associations said in a statement that FIFA's revision “crossed the red line”, calling it “an unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unreasonable decision.” Jacob Funke Kirkgaard, an analyst at the Brueghel Institute in Belgium, said that European politicians may regard this soccer turmoil as another clear proof that “America under Trump is a country that ignores regulations and is not bound.”