US President Donald Trump criticises Raphael Claus over World Cup red card

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·6 July 2026

US President Donald Trump criticises Raphael Claus over World Cup red card

CBF came out in defense of referee Raphael Claus

Brazil’s representative at the World Cup, Raphael Claus received criticism from Donald Trump, president of the United States, this Monday (06). That is because the leader described Folarin Balogun’s red card in the match against Bosnia, in the Round of 32 of the tournament, as “suspicious.”

— That referee (Raphael Claus) is a little suspicious if you check his past. I don’t want to say that, because I don’t like creating controversy, but it’s very suspicious. If you want, I can provide his past for you. He made a decision that nobody could believe -, he said, before concluding:

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— People on the other side said: we got lucky, wow. And it’s very interesting, they say they don’t show him the play in slow motion, and I never noticed that, I had never heard that before, that they can’t review it in slow motion, because it’s so different -, Trump concluded.

What did the CBF say about Raphael Claus?

After Donald Trump’s criticism, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) came out in defense of referee Raphael Claus. The entity highlighted the official’s worldwide recognition and denied that he has a suspicious history.

Raphael Claus is part of the CBF’s roster of professional referees, is recognized worldwide as one of the best referees currently active, and has a career marked by technical excellence, ethical conduct, and absolute respect for football. There is nothing in his entire record that discredits him or supports any kind of suspicion. The CBF rejects any insinuation that casts doubt on Raphael Claus’s integrity. He is an exemplary professional whose career is widely backed by technical evaluations, consistent performances, and the trust of the main national and international competitions. The CBF reaffirms its commitment to the truth, to transparency, and to the unwavering defense of its professionals,” the CBF said in a statement sent to ‘GE’.

Did Donald Trump contact FIFA?

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee decided to cancel Balogun’s automatic suspension after requests from President Donald Trump. As a result, the forward will be available for the United States in the match against Belgium at 9 p.m. (Brasília time) this Monday (06), in the Round of 16 of the World Cup.

It is worth noting that Balogun is the standout name for the United States at the 2026 World Cup. After all, the Monaco (FRA) striker has scored three goals in three matches. In other words, the player is one of the country’s hopes in the search for its first-ever world title.

How many Flamengo matches did Raphael Claus referee in 2026?

So far, Raphael Claus has refereed three Flamengo matches in the 2026 season, two in the Brasileirão and one in the Copa do Brasil. In that span, Rubro-Negro has recorded two wins, against Vitória and Fluminense, and one loss, also against the team from Bahia.

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