The United States president Donald Trump praised Gianni Infantino for “another great decision” by enabling Folarin Balogun to have a one-game ban suspended, which followed a call by Trump to the FIFA president about the U.S. forward’s red card and led to a major World Cup controversy.During an appearance at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Friday — in which neither Trump nor Infantino took questions from the media — both men delivered their reflections on the tournament. It was a remarkable twenty-five minutes in which the U.S. president also criticized the defensive tactics of England coach Thomas Tuchel in the semi-final defeat against Argentina and the pair also discussed expanding the World Cup to 64 teams before the next men’s edition in 2030.FIFA and Trump co-hosted a reception at Trump Tower before Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. FIFA has an office in Trump Tower for which it pays rent to the Trump family business.Infantino appeared to suggest those in attendance for the broadcast included global heads of states, soccer federation executives, FIFA Council members and ex-players he describes as FIFA Legends. The White House press pool was in attendance but there were no questions taken by Infantino or Trump after a tournament which has included multiple moments of high controversy. As of Friday evening, FIFA has not announced any closing press conference where media will be afforded opportunities to ask Infantino questions. Infantino did not appear at prior publicized media appearance with the former England defender Rio Ferdinand at Fanatics Festival earlier on Friday. The event had been on the schedule earlier this week but then disappeared by Friday morning, with FIFA then saying no event had ever been planned.Trump praised Infantino for Balogun being able to play (Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)The appearance at Trump Tower began with Trump and Infantino standing at the front of the room as Lee Greenwood’s God Bless The U.S.A. played, which is a song often used as Trump’s walk-out anthem at his rallies. The appearance ended with Village People’s Y.M.C.A, also often played at Trump rallies.Infantino was first to speak, telling Trump they had “exceeded all expectations” with the World Cup and, in doing so, said that the FIFA president had fulfilled a promise made to Trump in the summer of 2018, shortly after the bid was secured during Trump’s first term in the White House. Infantino praised Trump: “You told me America would welcome the world and you did welcome the world. Everyone who came here enjoyed it and everyone who stayed home enjoyed it.”Infantino made no mention of the U.S. decision to block the Somali FIFA referee Omar Artan from entering the country, with administration officials alleging this was due to “association with suspected members of terror organizations.” Infantino responded at a pre-tournament press conference by asserting America’s right to protect its borders, adding: “It is important sometimes to chill, relax.”Infantino also made no mention of the difficulties raised by Iran’s national team during the competition, with the team’s captain Mehdi Taremi having described the tournament as a “disaster” in its organization due to the restrictions on visas and movement for his team. Four competing World Cup nations — Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast — are under travel bans, meaning fans were limited in their travel. “I think that every team can have their people, so I don’t understand why people from Africa cannot have their people,” said Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly to The Athletic during the group stage.