Sports teams suffer defeats when Donald Trump gets involved

The US men's soccer team suffered a 4-1 defeat against Belgium in the World Cup knockout stage, crashing out after President Donald Trump intervened to overturn a red card for star striker Folarin Balogun. Critics quickly pointed to a 'Trump curse' that seems to bring bad luck to teams he supports.

The World Cup incident

Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to get Balogun's red card reversed, sparking accusations of corruption Source: euronewsen. Despite the successful appeal, the US team lost emphatically, with fans blaming Trump's interference for turning world opinion against them Source: theguardian.

The growing pattern

This is not an isolated incident. A series of sporting defeats have followed Trump's involvement:

• New York Knicks: Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA finals, their only loss of the series; they won the championship without him Source: gizmodo.
• Washington Commanders: Trump attended a regular-season NFL game, and the Commanders lost 44-22 Source: theguardian.
• Ryder Cup: Trump watched the US golf team face Europe, which lost 15-13 – Europe's first win on American soil in 13 years Source: euronewsen.
• Super Bowl LIX: Trump predicted a Kansas City Chiefs win, but the Philadelphia Eagles won 40-22 Source: gizmodo.

The pattern holds across sports, leading many to joke that Trump's presence is a curse. While there is no scientific basis, the anecdotal evidence is mounting Source: theguardian.