Donald Trump once again positions himself as Israel’s saviour, not just in geopolitics, but now in football too. With global outrage mounting and European nations like Spain, Italy, and Norway demanding Israel’s sporting suspension, UEFA was under massive pressure to act. But just as the ban looked imminent, Washington stepped in, armed with Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and direct threats. Was UEFA’s decision to delay the prohibition about diplomacy, or was it about protecting its financial and political ties with America? Rupha Ramani breaks down how football, politics, and money collided and why Trump may have just given Israel a crucial lifeline.