The Vice President of the U.S. Soccer Federation has publicly criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his close ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump, especially in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup.
Nathán Goldberg Crenier expressed his views in an editorial for The Guardian, urging soccer federations globally to stand against Infantino’s controversial policies, which he believes jeopardize the integrity of the sport through an “egotistical and transactional” leadership style.
Crenier, who assumed his role in 2024, specifically highlighted Infantino’s efforts to “ingratiate himself with Donald Trump at all costs” as part of an attempt to curry favor with the U.S. administration.
U.S. Soccer Federation vice president Nathán Goldberg Crenier has expressed strong criticism regarding Gianni Infantino’s leadership at FIFA.
(Tim Heitman/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images)
One of Crenier’s key concerns involves FIFA’s recent decision to lift the red card given to USMNT player Folarin Balogun ahead of the United States’ match against Belgium in the Round of 16. Balogun received a red card for stepping on Tarek Muharemović’s ankle, an action some observers deemed unintentional and overly penalized.
Reports indicate that Trump made a personal call to Infantino requesting that he review the suspension, with the former president claiming he was “forced” to intervene and was unaware of the outcome.
Nevertheless, The Times of London later reported that FIFA’s disciplinary chair, Mohammad al-Kamali, made the decision independently.
Crenier also criticized Infantino for honoring Trump during the World Cup draw in December by awarding him the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, an action taken without FIFA Council’s approval. Several council members reported not being consulted about either the establishment of the prize or the decision to award it to Trump, with some learning about it only from media reports, according to The Athletic.
Crenier believes these actions ultimately compromise “the integrity of soccer.” He pointed out that the Balogun incident escalated into a political controversy that became a significant distraction for the USMNT striker, who mentioned encountering “a lot of outside noise” that was difficult to avoid.
Crenier also expressed concern over the possibility of Trump presenting the World Cup trophy to the winner of the 2026 final between Spain and Argentina alongside Infantino, labeling it a continual “debasement of our sport.”
In closing, Crenier expressed hope as more voices within the sport are beginning to speak out against Infantino’s actions and ethical standards. UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, raised concerns in May about Infantino’s prioritization of “private political interests” over the well-being of the sport, with discussions underway to potentially seek candidates to succeed him, as reported by talkSPORT.