Harry Kane To Call Donald Trump For Quansah's Red Card? Tuchel Says: 'Maybe...'

Last Updated:July 06, 2026, 16:23 IST

England manager Thomas Tuchel joked Harry Kane should ask Donald Trump to intervene over Jarell Quansah's red card, after FIFA suspended Folarin Balogun's ban.

England manager Thomas Tuchel joked that captain Harry Kane should ask Donald Trump to intervene over Jarell Quansah’s red card after FIFA suspended Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban following multiple calls from the US President to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.

Balogun, who was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina, was initially due to miss the United States’ Round of 16 clash against Belgium through an automatic suspension. However, FIFA invoked Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code to suspend the ban for a year, making the striker eligible for Monday’s knockout tie.

Reports by The New York Times have said that Trump made a call to Infantino to review the red card. The US government then helped prepare a legal push at FIFA to reverse the decision, despite there being no scope for an appeal allowed in the rules. FIFA has yet to explain why it suspended the red card, even as Trump has celebrated it, thanking the world body ‘for reversing a great injustice’ on social media.

Asked whether Kane should seek similar help after Quansah’s dismissal against Mexico, the England boss smiled and replied: “Maybe, that’s a good starting point."

Despite the joke, Tuchel raised serious concerns over the precedent FIFA’s intervention could create.

“I didn’t think it was a red card in the first place," he said. “But VAR got involved, the referee reviewed it and they reached their decision. My question is: who changes that decision afterwards, when does it happen and on what basis?"

The England coach argued that the governing body’s actions had blurred the finality of disciplinary decisions and risked opening the floodgates for future appeals.

“We just want consistency. If one decision can be revisited after the match, where does it stop? Do we now go back and debate every yellow card and every red card from the tournament?"

Tuchel also referenced bookings involving Declan Rice and Michael Olise, questioning whether those incidents could now also be reopened.

“Do we get Declan Rice’s yellow card back? Does France get Michael Olise’s booking removed? Where do you draw the line? I don’t have the answer, but somebody needs to explain where this starts and where it ends."

England progressed to the quarter-finals after defeating Mexico despite playing much of the second half with 10 men following Quansah’s dismissal. Even if the USA were to progress to the Quarterfinals, they can only meet England in this World Cup if they reach the final.

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