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Ronaldo’s World Cup career ends in tears as ‘pandering’ Martinez departs

The 2026 FIFA World Cup’s round of 16 delivered one of the tournament’s most poignant moments in Dallas, as a 1-0 extra-time win for Spain over Portugal closed the book on what is almost certainly Cristiano Ronaldo’s final appearance at the global competition.

Mikel Merino’s injury-time winner secured Spain’s spot in the quarter-finals, but the post-match narrative centered squarely on Ronaldo, the 41-year-old Portuguese icon who left the pitch in tears as his decades-long World Cup dream of lifting the trophy went unfulfilled. Long lauded as one of the greatest players to ever step onto a football pitch, Ronaldo retires from World Cup competition holding a host of unparalleled records: he is the only player to score in six consecutive World Cups, one of just two players to feature in six tournaments alongside long-time rival Lionel Messi, and he retires with 11 total World Cup goals, good for ninth on the all-time leaderboard.

Across his entire club and international career, Ronaldo has notched a world-record 976 goals, claimed five Ballon d’Or awards, five Champions League titles, and a European Championship crown with Portugal in 2016. Yet despite 20 years of World Cup appearances dating back to 2006, when Portugal reached the semi-finals – his deepest run in the competition – the sport’s biggest prize eluded him entirely.

While Ronaldo has confirmed this was his final World Cup, he has not yet confirmed his retirement from international football, telling reporters post-match that he would “meet the family and take decisions with a calm head” on his future with the national side. Still, the loss sparked immediate and fierce debate over whether Portugal manager Roberto Martinez’s decision to consistently start Ronaldo, despite the forward’s reduced form and output, ultimately cost the team a deeper run in the tournament.

Match statistics underscore the critiques of Ronaldo’s role in the side: against Spain, he touched the ball just 19 times across 90 minutes, registered three shots, created only one goal-scoring chance for a teammate, and across five World Cup matches, he created just one total chance. While he ended the tournament with three goals and 18 total shots – tied with seven-goal joint-top scorer Erling Haaland for the fourth-most attempts at the tournament – 366 other players recorded more touches than Ronaldo, despite him missing just nine minutes of Portugal’s entire campaign.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live from the match venue in Texas, former England striker and BBC pundit Chris Sutton did not mince words in his criticism of both Ronaldo and Martinez. “He’s waddling around the field like a grandad, that’s why Portugal are out,” Sutton said. “Cristiano Ronaldo does nothing; he did nothing. What is Roberto Martinez doing? How can you pander to a player so much? Portugal are out because of Roberto Martinez.”

Sutton doubled down on his criticism of Martinez for failing to insert young in-form striker Goncalo Ramos, who scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup round of 16 after then-manager Fernando Santos dropped Ronaldo to the bench. “How did Goncalo Ramos not get on the pitch? It’s an absolute embarrassment from the manager, just pandering to his star player,” Sutton said. “He’s the most decorated player that Portugal have ever had but you’ve got to be stronger than that. We’re four years further on, Ronaldo is four years older and look what’s happened.”

Sutton also noted that Martinez, who previously mismanaged a highly talented Belgian golden generation that crashed out of the 2022 World Cup in the group stage, repeated the same mistake with Portugal, which boasts a deep squad of elite talent including four Champions League-winning players from Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League player of the year Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United. “His job was to try and win the World Cup and put the best team out for Portugal. Has he done that? Absolutely not,” Sutton said. “It’s scandalous the way he has managed this team. He made a mess of Belgium when they had an opportunity of really doing great things with that golden generation; they ended up Belgian buffoons. Now Portugal, it was pathetic to see a manager act in that manner.”

Shortly after the final whistle, Martinez announced he would step down as Portugal manager, ending his contract which expired after the tournament. “I came to Portugal with the objective of winning the World Cup and because I haven’t won it wouldn’t make sense to continue,” he explained. The departing manager offered a glowing tribute to Ronaldo, calling him a “football icon” and defending his choice to keep the star in the starting lineup. “When you need a goal you cannot take Cristiano off, at least in 90 minutes, he is physically capable – his presence, open space, dead-ball situations, we need his experience,” Martinez said. “We need to thank him for what he tried to do at this World Cup. His dream was to win this World Cup, he did this with an amazing example. He is a prime example of football and the human being that is behind that athlete.”

The end of Ronaldo’s World Cup journey also closes a defining chapter in modern football fandom: the decades-long rivalry between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. For generations, fans have divided into camps aligned with one player or the other in the endless debate over who deserves the title of the greatest of all time, a rivalry explored in a new BBC iPlayer documentary released this summer. While neither player had won the World Cup through 2022, Messi claimed the trophy with Argentina in Qatar four years ago, eliminating the only major mark against his legacy. Now, Ronaldo will finish his career without ever lifting the prize.

Today, as both legends wind down their careers – Ronaldo plying his trade in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League with Al-Nassr and Messi playing in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami – Messi continues to outperform his old rival at the 2026 World Cup, currently sitting as joint-top scorer with seven goals, matching his 2022 output. Ronaldo has scored just four goals across his last two World Cup tournaments, and sits second to Messi on the all-time World Cup goalscoring list, with 11 to Messi’s 20.

Former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney paid tribute to Ronaldo’s unprecedented career following the exit. “He is a genius, a superstar. What he has given to football and millions of people is something very rare,” Rooney said. “He will be disappointed because he believed he could win this tournament. But time gets us all. It’s a sad day for football.”

Many Portugal fans who spoke to the BBC after the match shared that same sense of emotion but chose to celebrate Ronaldo’s legacy rather than lament the defeat. “One of my dreams was to watch Ronaldo live. I was happy to see him. He has meant a lot,” one fan said. “I’m really emotional. We were just not lucky this time. What Ronaldo has done has been beautiful. We don’t have to cry, we have to laugh because we saw him.”

6 7 月, 2026
Swiss breakout star Manzambi and 2 others leave training ahead of World Cup clash with Colombia

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – As Switzerland prepares for its must-win World Cup round of 16 matchup against Colombia on Tuesday, a sudden wave of training exits has thrown the European side’s preparations into last-minute uncertainty, with breakout tournament sensation Johan Manzambi among three key players who cut their Monday training session short. The Swiss national team confirmed that alongside Manzambi, starting midfielder Rubén Vargas and central midfielder Djibril Sow also left practice early, but offered no additional details on the nature of their issues or the severity of any possible injuries.

6 7 月, 2026
World Cup 2026: Trump says he intervened to overturn red card in what has become a historic scandal

A firestorm of debate has swept through global football after FIFA’s stunning decision to overturn a red card for United States breakout star Folarin Balogun, a move that came just days after former US President Donald Trump personally pressured FIFA president Gianni Infantino to revisit the call.

The disciplinary action against Balogun stemmed from a round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the American forward was sent off with 30 minutes remaining after VAR upgraded a challenge on opponent Tarik Muharemovic to a straight red. While most observers agree the collision was accidental, the red card carried an automatic one-match suspension that would have forced Balogun to sit out the USMNT’s critical round-of-16 clash against Belgium on Monday. As the host nation for the remainder of the 2026 World Cup, and with Balogun one of the team’s standout talents, the Trump administration moved quickly to challenge the ruling.

Trump confirmed his intervention to reporters at the White House on Monday, arguing the challenge never rose to the level of a foul, let alone a sending-off. “That wasn’t even an infraction, that was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other,” Trump said. He also questioned the integrity of Brazilian referee Rafael Claus, who issued the card, calling his record “very suspect” – remarks that have already sparked intense backlash against Claus on social media. Confirmation of the high-level lobbying campaign emerged earlier from Politico, which reported that Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and senior US Soccer Federation officials spent four days coordinating the appeal.

In a move that shocked the global sports community, FIFA announced Sunday it was reversing the red card, replacing the suspension with a one-year probation. The governing body used Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, a rarely used provision colloquially known as the “Cristiano Ronaldo Rule” after it was invoked to clear the Portuguese star for his 2026 World Cup opening matches last November. The decision has reignited longstanding criticism that FIFA has cultivated overly close ties to the US administration to protect the commercial success of the ongoing tournament, which the US is co-hosting.

Infantino pushed back against accusations of political interference in a statement released hours after Trump’s confirmation. “FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously,” he wrote, adding that he always respects the rulings handed down by FIFA’s disciplinary panels, regardless of whether he agrees with them. He also noted that regular conversations with heads of state regarding the World Cup are standard practice.

For Team USA, the reversal is a welcome outcome. Head coach Tim Ream told *Good Morning America* that Balogun has been overjoyed by the news, and is now eager to contribute on the pitch rather than sit on the sidelines. “He’s been beaming ear to ear since we all found out the news,” Ream said.

But the precedent set by FIFA’s ruling has triggered an immediate wave of demands for equal treatment from other qualified teams, with high-profile pushback from across global football. France has already appealed a yellow card received by star player Michael Olise during its round-of-16 match against Paraguay. England manager Thomas Tuchel joked at a recent press conference that he may ask Trump to help overturn a red card suspension for Jarell Quansah, adding: “Where does it start, and where does this end now?” Norway head coach Stale Solbakken, whose side knocked out three-time champion Brazil Sunday, called FIFA’s choice a “bad bad bad bad bad decision.”

Within minutes of FIFA’s Sunday announcement, Belgium – the US’s opponent in Monday’s knockout match – filed a formal challenge to Balogun’s eligibility. In a statement Monday, the Royal Belgian Football Association said it had yet to receive any formal explanation from FIFA, leaving it no option but to contest the ruling. “Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply saddened by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole,” the statement read.

Criticism has also come from veteran football leadership. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has been banned from FIFA activities since 2015 amid a corruption scandal, weighed in on social media platform X Monday, writing: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a US President intervenes with the FIFA President – and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match – the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA?” European governing body UEFA went even further, saying the reversal “crossed a red line.” The organization noted that automatic one-match suspensions for red cards are non-discretionary: “In this case not,” the statement said. “A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted.”

The controversy also carries a subtle political subtext: Balogun, a dual US-UK national born in New York and raised in London, qualifies for the US national team via birthright citizenship, a policy Trump has repeatedly tried and failed to overturn during his time in office.

6 7 月, 2026
Maine senate candidate asked to drop out of race over sexual assault allegation

A high-stakes U.S. Senate race in Maine has been thrown into chaos following a new sexual assault allegation against Democratic nominee Graham Platner, prompting top party figures and national Democratic leaders to publicly demand he exit the contest ahead of November’s pivotal midterm elections. The accuser, 41-year-old Jenny Racicot, shared detailed allegations in a series of interviews with Politico published Monday, marking the most serious claim to emerge against Platner in a growing string of controversies that have roiled his campaign over recent weeks.

Racicot told Politico she had an on-again, off-again romantic relationship with Platner spanning more than two years before the alleged 202X incident. According to her account, Platner entered her Maine home uninvited while heavily intoxicated and assaulted her sexually. After she explicitly told him the encounter was non-consensual, Racicot said she cut off all contact with him permanently.

Racicot was originally among the women interviewed for an earlier New York Times report published ahead of Maine’s Democratic primary, where three former girlfriends accused Platner of patterns of erratic and aggressive behavior. She chose not to go public with her assault claim at that time, explaining she did not want to be publicly identified as a rape victim. But after widespread public controversy surrounding the Times’ initial reporting, Racicot said she felt compelled to share her full account publicly.

Platner, a former combat Marine and commercial oyster farmer who won the Democratic nomination to challenge four-decade incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, has forcefully denied the sexual assault allegation, calling it “categorically false.” Despite the denial, he acknowledged in a social media video statement released hours after Politico published the report that he is pausing to evaluate his political future. “Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to and the goal of defeating Susan Collins,” he said. In the days following the report, Platner’s campaign has postponed all public events scheduled for this week, and the BBC confirmed it has reached out to his team for additional comment with no further response as of press time.

This latest allegation is far from the first controversy to upend Platner’s campaign. Earlier this year, reports emerged of a chest tattoo he received in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia that closely resembled the Totenkopf, or death’s head symbol used by Nazi SS forces during World War Two. Platner later said he had the tattoo removed after recognizing the problematic resemblance. Old Reddit posts from 14 years ago were also unearthed, in which Platner argued sexual assault victims should “take some responsibility for themselves” and avoid excessive intoxication. Platner later apologized for the comment, asking voters to judge him by his current character rather than a decade-old offhand remark. Most recently, reports that Platner exchanged sexually explicit messages with women outside his marriage were published, which Platner acknowledged were true, saying he had made mistakes early in his marriage that he and his wife had since worked through together.

In the wake of Monday’s new sexual assault allegations, prominent Democrats across the country have rapidly withdrawn their endorsements and called for Platner to drop out of the race immediately. Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile wrote on the social platform X that “It’s time for Mr. Platner to step aside and be replaced by July 13th. Platner needs time to heal, focus on his family and well-being. Enough. Enough.” U.S. Representatives Ruben Gallego and Ro Khanna, both fellow Democrats, also pulled their support, with Khanna saying “the report [is] serious and credible… Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.” Even the Maine Democratic Party, the official state organization that backed Platner’s nomination, issued a statement calling for his withdrawal. “Over the past several weeks, multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner. Today’s statements take those allegations even further,” the party’s leadership said. “Maine Democratic Party leadership is calling on Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.”

The Maine Senate race is widely viewed as one of the most critical pickup opportunities for Democrats as they mount an uphill longshot bid to flip control of the U.S. Senate from Republicans in the 2024 midterm elections. Collins, the Republican incumbent, has held her seat for nearly 30 years and repeatedly fended off Democratic challenges, even as Maine has not backed a Republican presidential candidate since 1988. A Platner withdrawal would force the Maine Democratic Party to nominate a replacement candidate in less than a week, per party deadlines, putting their bid to unseat Collins in serious jeopardy just months before voting begins.

6 7 月, 2026
Miami Heat sign Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee Bucks

One of the NBA’s biggest superstars has shaken up the league’s Eastern Conference pecking order in a seismic offseason trade, as two-time league Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo has finalized a move from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat. The multi-player deal sends Antetokounmpo and Bucks forward Bobby Portis to South Florida, with promising Miami youngsters Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and prospect Kasparas Jakucionis moving north to join the Bucks in return.

Drafted as a relatively unknown 18-year-old prospect by the Bucks back in 2013, Antetokounmpo spent the entirety of his 13-year professional career in Milwaukee, transforming the small-market franchise from a perennial afterthought into a title contender. He led the team to its first NBA championship in 50 years during the 2021 bubble postseason, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in Bucks franchise history. The Greek superstar’s departure, however, comes after months of growing tension between the 31-year-old and the team’s front office.

Antetokounmpo publicly criticized the Bucks’ management last season over their decision to rule him out of action after he suffered a left knee hyperextension, saying that he was ready and able to return to play but was sidelined against his wishes. After the Bucks missed the playoffs entirely in the 2025-26 campaign, the star doubled down on his frustration in an April interview, noting: “I feel like sometimes people just don’t listen. They listen to the sources. The main source is me. It is what it is.”

As rumors of Antetokounmpo’s uncertain future in Milwaukee began swirling earlier this offseason, the Eastern Conference rival Boston Celtics emerged as another top suitor for the star, but the Heat ultimately closed the deal to bring the future Hall of Famer to Miami. For the three-time championship franchise, the acquisition is being framed as one of the most transformative moves in team history. Heat president Pat Riley called the trade “one of the great trades” in franchise history, adding that the team has built its culture around pursuing elite championship-caliber talent.

The Antetokounmpo blockbuster is just one of multiple high-profile moves shaking up the Eastern Conference this offseason. The Philadelphia 76ers have also announced two major additions, confirming they have acquired star wing Jaylen Brown from the Celtics in a multi-piece trade, while also signing unrestricted free agent guard Anfernee Simons. In exchange for Brown, the 76ers sent veteran forward Paul George to Boston, along with two future first-round draft picks and two additional second-round selections, reshaping the rosters of two of the conference’s top contenders for next season.

6 7 月, 2026
Nephew of PA vice president arrested over Gaza smuggling with Israeli soldiers

In a development that has cast new light on systemic illicit trafficking into the blockaded Gaza Strip, Israel’s internal security service Shin Bet has taken into custody Jamal al-Sheikh, the nephew of newly appointed Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh, according to an exclusive report from Israeli outlet i24News published Monday.

The arrest, which occurred in February of this year, stems from allegations that Jamal al-Sheikh, a West Bank resident, orchestrated a cross-border smuggling ring between February 2025 and February 2026, with direct assistance from active-duty Israeli soldiers, a Egyptian national, and Gaza-based merchant partners. Over the course of 12 months, the network successfully moved five separate shipments of contraband into the Palestinian enclave, before a failed sixth attempt in February led to the operation being unraveled and Jamal’s detention.

Court documents and security briefings cited in the report outline that the first shipment consisted of 10 pallets of confectionery, but subsequent shipments included items classified by Israel as “dual-use” goods—materials that can serve both civilian and military purposes, which are subject to a total ban on entry into Gaza. Other illicit goods trafficked included solar panels, vehicle batteries, tobacco products, electric bicycles, and mobile phones, all of which command exorbitant black market premiums in Gaza amid the long-standing Israeli blockade that has restricted the flow of most basic and commercial goods.

The final intercepted shipment, which was seized by Shin Bet before it could cross into Gaza, was the network’s largest to date: a single truck carrying more than 500 pallets of cigarettes and 500 iPhone devices, with a total estimated black market value of 200 million Israeli shekels, or roughly $66 million. The report notes that Jamal al-Sheikh expressed hesitation about moving the high-value final shipment over fears of being caught, but a Gaza-based partner in the ring reassured him that Israeli military connections would guarantee safe passage. The merchant claimed his own son, an active Israeli soldier, would facilitate the smuggling. The identities of all Israeli soldiers implicated in the ring remain sealed under a court gag order, per i24News.

This arrest is far from an isolated incident. It is the latest in a string of high-profile revelations over recent months exposing widespread complicity by Israeli security and commercial actors in illicit profiteering from Gaza’s restricted economy. Just one month prior to Jamal al-Sheikh’s arrest, Bezalel Zini, brother of current Shin Bet chief David Zini, was formally indicted on charges of aiding unauthorized smuggling after being accused of moving millions of shekels worth of contraband cigarettes and other goods into the enclave.

Beyond shadowy smuggling rings, official commercial activity has also drawn scrutiny for exploiting Israel’s monopoly on entry into Gaza. In June, Israeli news outlet Ynet reported that one major Israeli supermarket chain saw a more than 25% jump in first-quarter 2026 sales, driven almost entirely by sales of goods to Gaza. The chain recorded 152 million shekels ($50 million) in additional profits over the period, 99 million shekels ($33 million) of which came directly from Gaza sales. Israel currently grants exclusive commercial entry approval to just a small handful of Israeli companies, creating a state-sanctioned monopoly that allows for inflated pricing.

Israel’s strict control over all goods entering and exiting Gaza forms the core of its decades-long siege campaign, a policy that humanitarian organizations worldwide have repeatedly condemned as using mass starvation as a weapon of war against the enclave’s 2.2 million residents. While a ceasefire agreement reached last October allowed for a temporary increase in humanitarian aid entering the territory, new UN data shows that aid flows have actually declined sharply in recent months. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that just 41,800 pallets of aid were delivered across Gaza last month, down from 58,600 pallets delivered in January 2026.

The ongoing restrictions have pushed Gaza’s population into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. OCHA data confirms that the vast majority of Gaza residents now survive on just two meals per day, with 70% of infants and young children suffering from moderate to severe food insecurity. Projections from UN agencies estimate that roughly 246,000 children under the age of 17 will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2026, with more than 31,000 of those children facing life-threatening severe acute malnutrition.

For context, Hussein al-Sheikh, Jamal’s uncle and the PA’s recently appointed vice president, has been a leading figure in Palestinian politics for more than 20 years, and is widely tipped as the leading candidate to succeed 90-year-old PA President Mahmoud Abbas when he steps down. For decades, al-Sheikh led the PA’s Civil Affairs Commission, the body tasked with coordinating all civilian administrative matters with COGAT, the Israeli military unit that manages all Israeli government policy in the occupied Palestinian territories.

6 7 月, 2026
World Cup fans react to Balogun’s one-game ban suspension

A last-minute development has shaken up the United States men’s national team ahead of their critical World Cup matchup against Belgium, with star striker Folarin Balogun cleared to feature in today’s fixture after a dramatic intervention by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The young forward had originally been handed a one-game suspension that would have forced him to sit on the sidelines for the high-stakes encounter, a ruling that left American soccer fans bracing for a major disadvantage against their European opponents. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Trump personally contacted the International Federation of Association Football (Fifa), soccer’s global governing body, to request a formal review of the disciplinary decision.

Following that outreach, Fifa opted to suspend the ban, clearing the way for Balogun to take the pitch. News of the reversal quickly spread across social media and fan communities, sparking a wide range of reactions from supporters across the globe. American fans in particular have expressed widespread relief, with many taking to social platforms to celebrate the outcome ahead of kickoff, while others have raised questions about the influence of political figures on international sports governing bodies. The sudden shift has already reshaped pre-match expectations, with analysts reworking their projections for today’s game after the last-minute inclusion of one of the USA’s most potent attacking threats.

6 7 月, 2026
Why European backlash over Trump intervention won’t worry Infantino

The 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States has been overshadowed by an unprecedented disciplinary decision that has sparked allegations of political interference, reignited long-simmering criticism of Gianni Infantino’s 10-year tenure as FIFA president, and thrown the governing body’s commitment to its own rules into question.

The controversy centers on Folarin Balogun, the United States men’s national team star who has netted three goals to carry the co-hosts into the Round of 16 against Belgium. After receiving a red card in the team’s final group stage match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, standard FIFA tournament regulations explicitly prohibit appeals against straight red card suspensions, which would have ruled Balogun out of the decisive knockout tie. In a move never before seen in World Cup history, FIFA opted to overturn the suspension, clearing the star striker to play.

More than 24 hours after the decision was finalized, FIFA released an 871-word statement that offered no clear explanation for the extraordinary reversal. The missing context was quickly filled by one of the most powerful figures in global politics: U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed publicly that he personally intervened with Infantino to push for a review of the suspension. “I’m the one that got them to do it,” Trump stated, though he pushed back against claims he directly ordered Infantino to scrap the ban, saying he only requested a formal review.

The revelation of presidential intervention has sent shockwaves through the global football community. In the U.S., public debate has framed the ruling as a correction of an unfair outcome, arguing that Balogun’s ejection from the group stage match already served as sufficient punishment – a view Trump explicitly echoed. But across the sport, critics warn the decision sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the core integrity of football governance. Infantino has repeatedly rejected claims of political meddling, insisting FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee made the final call without outside pressure. Yet the appearance of favoritism is unavoidable: the ruling benefits the tournament co-host, led by a sitting president who has publicly described Infantino as a close personal friend. For many observers, the overturned suspension felt indistinguishable from a political pardon, not a neutral disciplinary ruling.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp summed up the widespread anger: “If Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino really sorted this out between themselves, it is madness; it calls everything into question.” Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s disgraced predecessor who was forced to resign in 2016 amid a sweeping corruption scandal, even took the unusual step of condemning the move, writing on social media: “Football must never become a playground for political power.”

UEFA, European football’s governing body, has issued an official rebuke calling the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” and accusing FIFA of having “crossed a red line” – the latest flashpoint in a growing rift between the two bodies. Friction between UEFA and Infantino dates back years: in May 2025, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin led a walkout of European delegates at the FIFA Congress after Infantino arrived more than two hours late following a diplomatic tour of the Middle East alongside Trump. The European body has also openly criticized FIFA’s inflated World Cup ticket prices, contrasting them with the much lower pricing planned for Euro 2028, and recently highlighted its support for Somali referee Omar Artan – who was denied entry to the U.S. for the tournament by American immigration officials – by inviting him to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup. When asked about Artan’s situation earlier this year, Infantino drew widespread condemnation for his dismissive response, telling reporters to “chill, relax.”

The Balogun controversy is far from an isolated incident during Infantino’s tenure, which has grown increasingly polarizing since he took office in 2016. Critics have pointed to a long string of contentious decisions: the creation of the FIFA Peace Prize, which was awarded to Trump during the World Cup draw, has sparked accusations that Infantino violated FIFA’s rules on political neutrality. Human rights campaign group FairSquare filed an ethics complaint over the award last December, and when no action was taken, 50 Members of the European Parliament submitted a second open letter demanding an investigation – a request that has also gone unanswered. FIFA has been criticized for the controversial 2030 and 2034 World Cup hosting allocation, which handed the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia without competitive bidding following a decision to split the 2030 edition across three continents, drawing criticism over the kingdom’s well-documented human rights concerns. Even the expanded Club World Cup, a flagship Infantino initiative, has been condemned by global player union FIFPRO as being created “without dialogue, sensitivity, and respect” for athlete welfare. The recent last-minute fiasco over a planned kick-off time change for the England-Mexico Round of 16 tie, which saw FIFA reverse course after five hours of confusion while pretending the initial change never happened, has further underscored claims of a lack of transparency and organizational competence within FIFA.

For many, the Balogun decision feels like the latest in a pattern of unaccountable decision-making that has eroded trust in FIFA’s leadership. With Infantino up for re-election next year, many have wondered if this latest controversy could finally threaten his grip on the presidency. But a closer look at the political math within FIFA makes an upset extremely unlikely.

Infantino’s support base stems from his signature FIFA Forward programme, which directs billions in funding to football development projects in smaller and lower-income member associations, and the expanded 48-team World Cup format that added 16 new qualification spots – 13 of which went to confederations outside of Europe’s wealthy football ecosystem. While the expanded format has drawn criticism, it has given long-underrepresented nations such as Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan their first-ever shots at World Cup qualification, turning Infantino into a popular figure among the vast majority of FIFA’s 211 member associations, each of which holds one vote in presidential elections.

To win re-election, a candidate needs 106 votes. Already, the 10 member nations of CONMEBOL (South America) have pledged their full support. The 54 members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have followed with a unanimous endorsement, and the 47 members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have also backed Infantino. Combined, those pledges add up to 111 votes – enough to secure re-election even before counting support from other confederations.

UEFA, which represents European football, may be openly opposed to Infantino’s leadership, but European football is financially self-sustaining, while most of the rest of the global game depends on the revenue FIFA generates from tournaments like the World Cup – revenue that funds the development projects that have cemented Infantino’s support. Even with the firestorm over the Balogun decision, Infantino’s path to a fourth term as FIFA president remains unobstructed, leaving critics to question what the controversy means for the future of football governance.

6 7 月, 2026
Why a Diljit Dosanjh film vanished from streaming after two days

A sudden and unexpected takedown of a high-profile Indian biopic starring one of the country’s most popular entertainers has ignited widespread controversy over censorship and artistic freedom in India.

The film, *Satluj*, features Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who exposed grave allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during the decades-long separatist insurgency in Punjab that lasted from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s. Thousands of people lost their lives in the conflict between Sikh militants fighting for an independent Khalistan state and Indian security forces. Human rights organizations have long accused security forces of systematic arbitrary detentions, secret disappearances and extrajudicial executions during the government’s counterinsurgency crackdown; authorities have repeatedly denied the allegations, arguing harsh tactics were necessary to quell the uprising.

Khalra dedicated his work to investigating claims that hundreds of victims of the crackdown were secretly cremated by officials without notifying their families or keeping official records. The activist was abducted and murdered in 1995, and multiple Punjab police officers were later convicted of their roles in his killing.

After a three-year battle to secure a public release, *Satluj* made its surprise debut on Indian streaming platform ZEE5 on June 27, 2026. Just 48 hours later, the platform removed the film from its Indian catalog, announcing it would remain unavailable “until further notice” citing unspecified “current developments” and offering no additional context. The takedown means the film is no longer accessible to viewers through any official channel in India.

The film’s journey to release has been fraught with obstacles from its completion in 2022. Originally titled *Ghallughara* — a Punjabi term referencing historic massacres of Sikhs in the 18th century — the project first hit roadblocks when India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the government body that approves films for theatrical release, demanded the title be changed with no public explanation. It was later renamed *Punjab ’95*, referencing the year of Khalra’s abduction, and was slated to premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival before producers pulled it amid ongoing certification deadlock in India.

Director Honey Trehan revealed in previous interviews that CBFC’s objections grew steadily over years of review: what started as 21 requested edits ballooned to 127 proposed cuts, including demands to remove all references to Khalra, cut scenes depicting police violence, and alter core factual content of the biopic. Trehan said the board argued the film could spark public unrest in Punjab and challenged its portrayal of historical events. Filmmakers challenged the CBFC’s demands in Bombay High Court before eventually withdrawing their petition and agreeing to changes in a bid to move forward, only to see the list of requested alterations continue to grow.

Unable to secure theatrical certification, the producers opted to release the film directly to streaming under a third new title, *Satluj*. Unlike theatrical releases, streaming platforms in India are not required to obtain CBFC approval under the 2021 Information Technology Rules, though the regulations still allow government-ordered takedowns. Trehan confirmed at the time of release that the final version launched on ZEE5 was the film’s original cut, “without any cuts or compromises” to the creative team’s original vision.

Following the takedown, a spokesperson for production company RSVP Movies told *The Indian Express* the removal was carried out on direct government orders. India’s federal Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has not issued any public comment on the decision, and the BBC has requested a response from the ministry. The CBFC has also not publicly responded to Trehan’s accounts of its demands, and the BBC has also sought comment from the board.

In a live social media video addressing the takedown, Dosanjh said the outcome was not unexpected, but its speed still caught the team off guard. “What I had already expected is exactly what happened,” he said. “I thought the film might get banned when government offices opened on Monday, but I didn’t know it would happen as early as Sunday evening.” Dosanjh added that the long-running uncertainty about the film’s status led producers to limit promotional activity: “If we had promoted it, the film would definitely not have been released at all.” Despite the takedown, he said he was grateful that audiences finally got the chance to see the film after years of delays.

Despite being available for just two days, *Satluj* has already drawn widespread critical acclaim. *The Hollywood Reporter* called it “one of the finest Indian films of the year”, and the brief window of availability generated intense public discussion online about censorship and artistic expression in India.

In the wake of the removal, Trehan told reporters he was stunned by the latest development. “I am at a loss right now. I don’t know how to react to this development,” he said. ZEE5 has said it remains supportive of the film and its creative vision, and that it “hoped to bring it back soon” without offering a timeline for its return.

6 7 月, 2026
A stoic Cristiano Ronaldo exits last World Cup with ‘clear conscience’ after Portugal loses to Spain

ARLINGTON, Texas — For soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, the final chapter of his unprecedented World Cup journey ended not with celebration, but quiet stoicism Monday. The 41-year-old Portuguese icon walked off the field following his team’s 1-0 round-of-16 defeat to neighboring rival Spain, offering only a brief wave to the cheering crowd and barely showing the emotion he later acknowledged feeling.

After the final whistle, Ronaldo briefly raised his right hand to shield his eyes, opening up about his disappointment. “Sad — it’s normal after being eliminated like this,” he told reporters. This tournament marked the sixth and final World Cup appearance of Ronaldo’s storied career, a milestone no other men’s player has reached in modern tournament history.

Reflecting on his decades of contributions to Portugal’s national side, Ronaldo made clear he had no regrets about his effort on the sport’s biggest global stage. “I’ve given everything, I’ve given my best, and I leave with a clear conscience,” he said. “This is soccer, this is life for a soccer player. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.”

Ahead of the knockout clash with Spain, Ronaldo had shared he hoped to extend his tournament run and savor every remaining moment. Even before the match, however, he confirmed what he repeated after the loss: this four-year cycle tournament would be his last. Throughout his World Cup career, the furthest Ronaldo ever led Portugal was a semifinal finish during his tournament debut in 2006, a result that remains the country’s deepest World Cup run to date.

The match itself held a near-miss that could have shifted the momentum for Portugal. In the first half, Ronaldo had a potential goal stopped by an extraordinary leaping save from Spain’s record-setting goalkeeper Unai Simón. The chance came after teammate João Félix’s header bounced off Simón’s shoulder, leaving Ronaldo to launch a right-footed backward strike. Simón, still airborne, managed to reach back and secure the ball with both hands — one of three shots Ronaldo took, two of which landed on target.

As for what comes next in his legendary career, Ronaldo said he would not rush into any decisions. “Yes, it was my last World Cup, but everything else I’ll have time to think about, to be with my family, and not make any decision hot-headed and move on with life,” he explained.

Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martínez was quick to praise Ronaldo’s unparalleled legacy and leadership, framing the forward as a generational talent that deserves global celebration. “He is an example, a role model to follow. This is somebody that we need to celebrate. We’re talking about a football icon,” Martínez said in translated comments. “There aren’t too many Cristiano Ronaldos out there. I think we need to thank him. His dream was to win the World Cup and he did this as an amazing example in the locker room.”

Under Ronaldo’s leadership, Portugal has claimed its first-ever major international titles: the 2016 UEFA European Championship, followed by UEFA Nations League trophies in 2019 and 2025. He leaves the World Cup holding a string of unprecedented records: he is the only player to score in five consecutive World Cups, and sits as the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international soccer with 146 career goals across national team matches. He notched three goals in this 2026 tournament, bringing his total career World Cup goals to 11 — a mark that ties him for ninth on the all-time leaderboard.

Monday’s exit bookended a historic World Cup rivalry with Spain that began eight years ago, when 33-year-old Ronaldo scored a stunning group-stage hat trick to secure a 3-3 draw against the Spanish side, a match still widely regarded as one of the greatest in World Cup history. That performance made him the oldest player to record a World Cup hat trick, a record that stood until 38-year-old Lionel Messi scored three for Argentina in a June 2026 group-stage win over Algeria.

6 7 月, 2026