Trump pressure leaves FIFA in a bind, could aid Brazilian ref at WC | OneFootball

Donald Trump’s public criticism, which cast doubt on Raphael Claus’s integrity after American Folarin Balogun was sent off, has put FIFA at a real diplomatic and sporting crossroads and could end up “helping” the Brazilian referee.

According to UOL journalists Danilo Lavieri and Paulo Vinícius Coelho, what seemed like the natural end of the road for Claus in the tournament could now turn into an extended stay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Before the global fallout from Trump’s remarks, the internal expectation was that Raphael Claus would end his participation in the 2026 World Cup after officiating two matches: Spain vs Saudi Arabia and United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The script would have been identical to what the Brazilian experienced at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, the situation changed drastically with the controversy sparked by the alleged political interference of the United States in FIFA.

According to the UOL journalists, an immediate dismissal at this point would create the clear impression that FIFA had bowed to the demands of a head of state.

To protect its image and preserve the autonomy of refereeing, the organization is considering keeping Claus based in Miami until the end of the competition.

Even if he does not return as the main referee for a match, he may serve as the fourth official.

In this scenario, the journalists point out that it is highly unlikely the Brazilian will be sent back home under the current climate of tension.

Atmosphere behind the scenes

Despite his name making headlines around the world, people close to Raphael Claus say he remains calm.

He continues to take part in the refereeing committee’s daily activities and to receive the daily allowance paid by FIFA.

The referee also has official backing from the football world: after Trump’s attack, FIFA, the CBF, and CONMEBOL all issued public statements of support, reinforcing their confidence in the fairness of his work.

How are the other Brazilians doing?

Wilton Pereira Sampaio

He is the Brazilian arriving at the final stretch in the strongest position.

With an excellent internal evaluation, he has already officiated three major matches: the opener (South Africa vs Mexico), Norway vs Senegal, and the Round of 16 clash between the Netherlands and Morocco.

Wilton is considered one of the top five candidates to officiate one of the semifinals or even the World Cup final itself.

While Claus is caught up in this imbroglio, the other two representatives of Brazilian refereeing are experiencing different moments in the competition.

Ramon Abatti Abel

He officiated two matches (Switzerland vs Canada and Belgium vs Egypt) and was assigned as fourth official for the quarterfinal clash between Spain and Belgium. The trend is that he will say goodbye to the World Cup shortly after this match.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

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