The United States government has come under fire after President Donald Trump revealed he spoke with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to discuss Folarin Balogun's red card before the USA striker's one-match ban was controversially suspended.
However, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, has brushed aside criticism of Trump and instead sought to question Keir Starmer for wading into FIFA's decision-making over England's kick-off time.
'I would go and point to something I think is a much graver decision that was made just a couple days ago,' Giuliani told talkSPORT.
Giuliani pointed to Starmer's intervention through diplomatic channels in not allowing the Mexico-England match time to be moved, saying it could have prevented three deaths that occurred during a celebration in Mexico following the match.
'In the round of 32 after the match, three Mexicans died in this celebration,' Giuliani said.
'And there were discussions about moving that match time from the evening to noon so then that way you would have less risk of life to Mexicans,' he added.
'That's far graver when you actually think about the consequences, the potential consequences, that anything that happens on the pitch right there,' Giuliani stated.
Downing Street has since sought to clarify Starmer's role in any discussions, saying in a statement that the Prime Minister was supportive of representations made by the Football Association regarding the practical implications of a proposed scheduling change for the team's preparations.
'The final decision on fixture timings remained a matter for FIFA,' the statement said.
Starmer has also refused to rule out the possibility of a Bank Holiday should England go all the way and win the World Cup this summer.
'On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final,' Starmer said.
The Three Lions are back in action on Saturday when they face Norway in Miami.
Starmer, though, has insisted he won't follow Trump's lead and seek to get Jarell Quansah's red overturned following England's win over Mexico.
'I can't tell you how many messages I've had to rescind the red card that we received in the early hours of Monday,' Starmer said.
'I hasten to add, I haven't attempted to do that.'
