Trump Steals the Frame Again as Spain Lift the World Cup
Spain are 2026 World Cup winners — but the image that many will take away from the MetLife Stadium trophy ceremony is not solely of captain Rodri holding aloft the prize. According to The Guardian, Donald Trump once again remained stubbornly in shot as Spain celebrated, mirroring an almost identical scene from the 2025 Club World Cup final at the same New Jersey venue.
The US president had descended from a glassed-in suite — where he had watched the 120 minutes of extra-time football alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Spain’s King Felipe VI, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum — to help present medals and the trophy alongside other dignitaries. Trump shook hands with each Spain player and handed the trophy over to Rodri alongside Infantino. Infantino then stepped away, but Trump did not.
Rodri reportedly motioned Trump towards the left of the podium, seemingly inviting him to leave. Trump moved as if to descend the staircase but stopped just at the edge of the celebrations. Infantino jogged across to make a final appeal, but it was too late — when Rodri lifted the trophy, Trump was still visible in the frame. He departed only once the confetti had fallen.
The moment carried an eerie sense of repetition. Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella was present on both occasions — on stage when Trump lingered during Chelsea’s Club World Cup win last year, and again on Sunday as a Spain squad member.
The reception Trump received from the crowd was largely hostile. He was briefly booed when shown on stadium screens before kick-off, and a loud chorus of jeers greeted him when he walked onto the pitch for the presentation. The Guardian notes that a similar pattern has played out at other US sporting events, including an NBA finals game at Madison Square Garden.
For context on how Spain’s campaign unfolded from the group stage to glory, see our World Cup 2026 hub, and check the full live standings for a breakdown of every result in the tournament.
The US side’s own tournament ended in the round of 16, where they were beaten 4–1 by Belgium — a game that followed Trump’s successful intervention with Infantino to have striker Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension lifted. It did not prove to be the decisive edge the hosts needed.