2 hours ago United States president Donald Trump was expected by galore to regularly diagnostic astatine the World Cup.
But helium is yet to be a azygous match, contempt the United States squad winning 2 of their 3 radical games, and qualifying for the knockout stages.
So is it a surprise? Why whitethorn helium person stayed away? And volition helium look earlier the final? BBC Sport takes a person look.
"My chap Americans, citizens of the world, the United States is honoured to play big to this magnificent celebration. The World Cup has captured the imaginativeness of our country, arsenic has the crippled itself successful the past fewer years…So I invited each who person travel from each countries and each continents and each who volition ticker these games successful the United States for the adjacent 30 days."
The words of president Bill Clinton connected 17 June, 1994 astatine Soldier Field successful Chicago erstwhile attending the opening lucifer of the archetypal World Cup to beryllium held successful the United States.
The time is remembered much for Diana Ross' missed 'penalty-kick' during the pre-match festivities than Clinton's address, but his beingness present seems much notable.
Because 32 years on, the state is erstwhile again staging the event, and yet, with the halfway constituent of the tourney passed, the existent president has stayed away.
Earlier this month, Trump hailed the fig of tickets sold by Fifa, labelling it "the astir palmy World Cup they've ever had", and reinforcing the widely-held presumption that helium would beryllium a highly disposable and enthusiastic presence.
After all, successful the build-up, the tourney had seemed precise important to him. He even referenced it, external successful an code astatine a rally staged connected the eve of his statesmanlike inauguration aboriginal past year.
And Trump past played a cardinal relation astatine the gully successful Washington DC successful December, wherever helium was awarded Fifa's inaugural 'Peace Prize' by the governing body's president Gianni Infantino.
The 2 men person forged a adjacent narration successful caller years, with Infantino welcomed to some the Oval Office and Trump's Florida residence Mar-a-Lago.
Trump has besides been a regular beingness astatine respective different large sports events successful the US during his 2nd term, from the Super Bowl, and past summer's Club World Cup final, to the opening time of golf's Ryder Cup astatine Bethpage.
However, erstwhile co-hosts the US played their opening lucifer v Paraguay connected 12 June successful Los Angeles, pursuing connected from an opening ceremony, the president was notable by his absence, with caput of authorities Mark Rubio travelling from Washington instead.
It appeared that Trump had prioritised an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lawsuit connected the White House tract 2 days later, celebrating his 80th and America's 250th birthday.
English (US)·