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Thomas Tuchel playfully suggested England might lobby U.S. President Donald Trump to get Jarell Quansah's one-game suspension lifted, as part of a broader, more serious discussion about FIFA's intervention that allowed Folarin Balogun to feature for the USMNT against Belgium.
Quansah was dismissed for a reckless challenge on Mexico's Jesús Gallardo in the 54th minute of the game. CBS News reported that Balogun's ban was overturned after Trump contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino regarding the red card and resulting suspension, while the New York Times indicated he specifically requested the suspension be reconsidered.
The Guardian cited sources claiming there were up to three conversations between Trump and FIFA. Trump subsequently publicly praised FIFA for "doing what was right" in a social media post following the unexpected announcement that Balogun would be permitted to play. Belgium has stated that FIFA ruled any appeal from them against the reversal as "inadmissible."
When asked after the final whistle of an enthralling match at the Azteca whether England could approach Trump over Quansah's ban, Tuchel responded: "Maybe, that's a good starting point."
Tuchel, Quansah, and England could have little grounds to dispute the red card, shown to the Bayer Leverkusen defender for an uncontrolled challenge that put his opponent at risk. Nevertheless, Tuchel's primary concern is that the Balogun situation opens the door and establishes a precedent for FIFA to rule retroactively on any incident or decision that a team is dissatisfied with.
It had been understood that red cards at a World Cup were not subject to appeal, something FIFA itself confirmed to media outlets immediately after Balogun was sent off. However, Article 27 of FIFA's disciplinary code essentially supersedes everything else, as world football's governing body can invoke it to "fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure."
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Tuchel Asks 'Where Does This End?'
Tuchel made it "very clear" that he believed Balogun did not merit a red card for the incident against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but acknowledged that a VAR review and an on-field referee check at least lent the decision some legitimacy.
"Who reverses this decision, and when, and on what basis? And how far does this go now?" the England manager questioned.
"It is just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions. So, is our yellow card after the first minute against Declan Rice ... we can now debate endlessly. I think it is not a yellow card. Do we get this [rescinded]? Where does this end? I don't know the rules.
"Where does this start and where does this end now? Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What's going on? Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that. Where does this end now? Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card. Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end?"
England Left Plugging Holes in Defense
The right back position has been a problem area for England throughout this summer. Reece James is managing a hamstring injury with no confirmed return timeline, while Tino Livramento didn't even make it to the start of the tournament due to a calf injury that required surgery.
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Quansah, who isn't even a natural right back, is now suspended for the quarterfinal. Trent Alexander-Arnold is somewhere else entirely, left wondering how he was ever left out of the World Cup squad.
Should James not be fit to face Norway, Ezri Konsa is the most likely candidate to start. The Aston Villa defender has featured in every match so far at centre-back, but shifted to the right flank once Quansah was sent off, with John Stones introduced from the bench to fill in centrally.