Trump wins his peace prize from Fifa – any chance of a VAR review? | Donald Trump
It had as much drama and tension as reading a dictionary or watching election results from North Korea.
To no one’s surprise, Donald Trump won FIFA’s first peace prize on Friday in a cheesy, bombastic and crude World Cup draw expertly designed to flatter the world’s most precious ego.
“This is your reward, this is your peace reward!” Bald-headed FIFA president Gianni Infantino shouted enthusiastically after Trump took the stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in snowy Washington.
There, on the pedestal, was the unenviable trophy with “Donald J Trump” written on it in block letters: a golden globe resting on five golden hands, big enough to make up for the tiny-handed recipients who agonized over the Nobel Peace Prize.
But wait, there was more. Knowing that there is not much going on with Trump, Infantino added, “There is also a very nice medal for you that you can wear wherever you want to go.”
Trump, glowing more orange than ever in the spotlight, eagerly placed the medal around his neck without waiting for Infantino to do the honour. “This is truly one of the greatest honors of my life,” he told the audience of 2,000.
this one Norwegian football commentator He once celebrated a victory over England by shouting: “Your boys have been beaten so badly!” Now FIFA has its own “Your boys got beaten so much!” He scolded the Norwegian Nobel Committee for belittling its favorite president.
Foreign leaders like Keir Starmer and Benjamin Netanyahu learned last year that complimenting Trump is like feeding a baby golden candy. The more obvious and clear it is, the better it works. Now, thanks to Infantino, Trump was center stage in the biggest spectacle in world sport.
History certainly rhymes. Benito Mussolini used the 1934 World Cup in Italy to support the resurgent Roman empire. The Italian team performed the “Roman salute” before each match. Il Duce even created a special trophy called the “Coppa del Duce” that is six times larger than the official Jules Rimet World Cup trophy.
The last time the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994, the draw was held in Las Vegas and then-President Bill Clinton did not attend. But Infantino, who sees America as football’s undiscovered land of profit, followed Trump with as much enthusiasm as Count Dracula, who crossed the oceans of time to find his lost love.
The FIFA president was spotted at Trump’s second inauguration earlier this year and has been a regular guest in the Oval Office and at his Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida. Trump made no objection when he elbowed his way into Chelsea’s Club World Cup celebrations. FIFA even opened a new office in Trump Tower in New York.
So the World Cup final draw was held without a trace of irony at the Kennedy Center, where Senate Democrats, led by a Trump appointee, had launched an investigation into allegations of nepotism and corruption, just near the Watergate building where a burglary and cover-up brought down Richard Nixon.
It’s all very Fifa.
The extravaganza began with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli belting out the aria Nessun Dorma, meaning “No one will sleep”; A subtle reference to the president who was recently seen napping in meetings?
The presenters were model and presenter Heidi Klum, who wore a sparkling gold dress, and comedian Kevin Hart, who wore a black sweater with a sparkly necklace. There was the usual montage of football clips; These included Diego Maradona’s second goal against England in Argentina in 1986. Perhaps Trump, often accused of cheating at golf, would go for Maradona’s shameless “Hand of God” first.
Trump, who coined the phrase “real hyperbole” in his book The Art of the Deal, would surely have appreciated Infantino’s statement: “This will not only be the greatest football event, this will be the greatest event in human history, the greatest event humanity will ever witness… This is like 104 Super Bowls in one month.”
The Lex Luthor of world football, the Americans in the crowd chanting “USA! USA! USA!” made him shout. followed by Canadians chanting “Canada, Canada, Canada!” and Mexicans chant “Mexico, Mexico, Mexico!” They will chant slogans. After the noisy show by Nicole Scherzinger and Robbie Williams, it was time for Trump’s victory moment.
As a glossy video played, a voiceover tried to convince everyone that this award wasn’t given solely for Trump’s benefit. “Peace creates hope and football transforms this hope into unity,” he said.
“We honor a dynamic leader who championed the unifying power of football on the world stage, engaging in diplomatic efforts that created opportunities for dialogue, de-escalation and stability.”
This was a more elaborate justification than the Dodo offered in Alice in Wonderland: “Everyone will have their rewards.”
The narrative ran through a dangerous list of eight conflicts that Trump claimed to have resolved during his 10 months in office. There was no mention of his fawning over Vladimir Putin in Russia or the extrajudicial murders of dozens of unnamed, unprosecuted people on small boats in the Caribbean. Is there a chance for VAR to make this decision?
Viewers were treated to slow-motion video of Trump at the Gaza peace summit, Trump meeting Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Trump signing the Abraham accords, Trump speaking to the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and Infantino giving him the thumbs-up like a proud football dad.
Then came the presentation, and soon Trump was on stage with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, standing behind plastic stands as if on a game show. The US president tried to go Ted Lasso by recalling watching Pele play for the New York Cosmos and agreeing that football should be called “soccer”.
Did Trump’s eyes remain open after a complicated draw? – was done, the show ended like a Trump rally with Village People shouting out the YMCA. The President had his prize and Infantino had his man. Next stop: Oscars?
