Donald Trump has revealed an unexpected reason for his admiration of England captain Harry Kane: the pair have played golf together. The US President made the disclosure during a press conference, praising Kane's skills on both the football pitch and the golf course.
Trump praises Kane after World Cup win
Kane scored a crucial penalty as 10-man England defeated co-host Mexico 2-0 at the Azteca Stadium in the early hours of Monday, securing a quarter-final clash against Norway. Trump, who watched the match, posted on Truth Social: 'Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!!!'
Speaking to reporters, Trump elaborated: 'I watched last night, what a game that was. Mexico, England… I mean two countries, I don't know the players. Although, I think Kane is a great player. See, I played golf with him and I like him a lot, he's a good golfer. But he's really great.'
Trump confirms intervention in Balogun ban
Trump's comments came during a rambling five-minute answer after he was questioned about his involvement in overturning a one-match ban for USA striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun had received a red card in his last match, but FIFA reversed the decision after Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The 80-year-old president confirmed his actions, saying: 'I saw the play and I'm a person that loves sports and was a good athlete, and I understand sports really well, really well and that wasn't a foul, that wasn't even an infraction, that was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other. He [the referee] made a call that nobody could believe. He [Balogun] didn't do anything wrong and he's our best player, or one of our best players… and he gave him a red card. It's very unfair, you can't do that. So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who's highly respected [Infantino] and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold.'
Reaction to Trump's intervention
FIFA's decision to allow Balogun to play in the USA's match against Belgium has been widely condemned. Trump's admission that he personally intervened has added fuel to the controversy. The US President's golf game with Kane, meanwhile, has surprised many, given the England captain's well-known fondness for the sport.
