Meunier criticises 2026 FIFA World Cup: embodied the dark side of football

Belgian Thomas Meunier, the right-back for Sunderland, has harshly criticized what he described as the dark side of traditional football after participating with Belgium in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Thomas Meunier, in statements reported by The Athletic, said he does not have positive memories of the tournament, pointing out that the 2026 World Cup has seen many controversies and issues that have drawn criticism, alongside Belgium's exit in the quarter-finals against Spain.

The 35-year-old player spoke about the incident involving FC Lorient's Folarin Balogun, a forward for the United States, after a wide controversy arose regarding the cancellation of his suspension following intervention from President Donald Trump. Munier stated: "I strongly believe that politics and football should not be linked in any way."

He added: "But the problem is that football reflects public opinion, so we hear in the stands about racism and many other issues. So, is it really possible to separate football from politics?"

Thorgan Hazard has criticized FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino in a rare stance from a player who does not hesitate to express his opinions, stating that the 2026 World Cup did not present the image he hoped to see for football.