European revolt against FIFA boss explodes; icon gone as brutal coaching toll grows — WC Daily

European lawmakers have called for an investigation into FIFA boss Gianni Infantino following the bombshell decision to postpone Folarin Balogun’s World Cup suspension.

Last week, FIFA announced that striker Balogun would be permitted to play the United States’ Round of 16 World Cup match against Belgium despite copping a red card during the team’s previous game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

US president Donald Trump confirmed he called Infantino to request that Balogun’s ban to be reviewed, but the FIFA chief denied political interference. UEFA later called the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”.

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On Tuesday, 72 members of the European Parliament launched an initiative calling for a probe into the decision-making process behind Balogun’s suspended ban, encouraging football associations across Europe to seek a formal FIFA review into any possible political interference.

“In light of the decision taken on Sunday to suspend the implementation of an automatic one-match suspension, we feel that it is time for European Football Associations, all of whom are member associations of FIFA, to intervene and ask that FIFA investigate the aforementioned decision-making processes,” the statement said.

“The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window.”

It continued: “Member associations have an important role to play in ensuring that rules are upheld and that those who break them are held accountable.

“Any investigation must now include scrutiny of the decision-making process surrounding FIFA’s decision to rescind the ban imposed on a member of the US men’s national team.”

HENDERSON UNDERGOES SURGERY

England midfielder Jordan Henderson has undergone surgery on his broken arm after a freak injury following the team’s thrilling World Cup win against Mexico.

The Brentford player fell over advertising hoardings during celebrations after the 3-2 victory at the Estadio Azteca, which took them through to the quarter-finals.

The 36-year-old former Liverpool captain, who has only played a few minutes at the 2026 tournament, was taken to hospital, having left the field on a stretcher.

Henderson, who has 91 caps, is now set to miss the remainder of the World Cup but will stay with the team at their Kansas City base.

“Surgery done. Let’s get ready for the big one on Saturday,” Henderson posted on Instagram.

“Thank you to all the staff that looked after me at Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute, especially the three surgeons who carried out the operation.”

England forward Morgan Rogers praised the influence of veteran midfielder Henderson, despite his limited playing time.

“He’s everything really and the heartbeat of the group,” he said in Kansas City on Wednesday.

“To see him this morning smiling and still as happy as he ever is, no matter what’s happened in the last 48 hours … it’s so nice for us to just see him and hopefully we can get him back out on the pitch as soon as possible.”

England face Erling Haaland’s Norway in the last eight of the World Cup in Miami on Saturday.

COACH QUITS AFTER WC EXIT

Croatia’s most successful football coach, Zlatko Dalic, resigned on Wednesday, ending a tenure that included taking the team to the 2018 World Cup final.

“As much as I still feel the ambition and desire to achieve new successes with Croatia, I feel that this is the right moment to bring this incredible era to a close,” he said in a statement.

“I am leaving with a full heart and proud that I have made my contribution to the greatest achievements in the history of Croatian football,” the 59-year-old added.

Dalic took over as coach in October 2017.

Apart from their final defeat in Russia, where Croatia, led by Luka Modric, lost to France, Dalic guided the nation to the 2022 Qatar World Cup semi-finals and the Euro 2020 last 16.

“Zlatko’s name will remain forever written in golden letters in the history of Croatian football,” Croatian Football Federation (HSN) head Marijan Kustic said.

Croatia failed to move into the last 16 of this year’s World Cup, losing 2-1 in a gripping match against Portugal earlier this month.

Local media are tipping former national coach Slaven Bilic as Dalic’s likely successor.

Bilic, 57, led Croatia from 2006-12. He recorded a higher winning percentage than Dalic, with 42 victories, 15 draws and eight defeats in 65 matches but his best performance in a major tournament was to reach the quarterfinals of the 2008 Euros where Croatia lost on penalties to Turkey.

Bilic was a defender who played 44 times for Croatia. He has coached several clubs, including West Ham United, where he played in the mid-1990s.

The former defender’s last coaching position was at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Fateh, during the 2023-2024 season.

Dalic has repeatedly said he considered his job the “biggest privilege and pleasure a coach can have”.

His most notable previous coaching spells came outside Europe — he was in charge of top Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Faisaly and Al-Hilal.

In 2014, the former defensive midfielder took over Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, where he was named coach of the year twice, leading the club to the 2016 Asian Champions League final.

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