[Anchor]
The North and Central American World Cup, which expanded its scale to 48 participating countries, left behind many moving moments but was also plagued by constant noise. At the awards ceremony today (July 20), U.S. President Donald Trump faced further criticism for refusing to leave the podium for some time after presenting the championship trophy.
Bae Jeonghun reports.
[Reporter]
President Trump, who came down to the pitch ahead of the awards ceremony, appeared unfazed by the overwhelming boos from the crowd.
He placed medals around the players' necks and presented the championship trophy alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, but for some reason, he did not step down from the podium afterward.
At the very moment the Spanish players were enjoying the joy of victory, President Trump remained as if he were digging in his heels. Even when President Infantino gestured as if to suggest he should move, it was to no avail.
Local media outlets harshly criticized him, noting that following his alleged external pressure regarding the suspension of U.S. national team player Folarin Balogun ahead of the Round of 16, he had now stolen the spotlight that should have been focused on the players.
Amidst this, President Infantino continued to flaunt his close relationship with Trump, drawing further disapproval.
[Gianni Infantino/FIFA President: (To President Trump) Without you, this World Cup would not have been the tremendous success it is today.]
Criticism that FIFA failed to maintain political neutrality also continued. A prime example was the Iranian team, which had to endure unusual travel restrictions, including entry into the U.S. within 24 hours and departure immediately after their matches, due to the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
There was also backlash that the hydration breaks, introduced under the pretext of player protection, were effectively used for advertising. Furthermore, the U.S. national anthem was played at the final for the first time in history, and the halftime break, which is not allowed to exceed 15 minutes under regulations, was extended to 25 minutes for performances by superstars, leading to criticism that the fundamentals of football were being undermined.
With President Infantino announcing plans to discuss expanding the tournament to 64 participating countries starting from the next competition, various controversies are expected to continue.
(Video Editing: Kim Jin-won, Design: Lee So-jung)
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