Trump’s presence at the final
Donald Trump, the US president, made a notable appearance at the World Cup final in a stadium near New York, where Spain secured their victory against Argentina. His presence was met with a mix of reactions from the crowd and players alike. Prior to the match, Trump had participated in a press conference with Fifa president Gianni Infantino and was expected to attend the final.
During the trophy ceremony, Trump joined Infantino on the pitch to present medals to both teams. This led to audible boos from the crowd, with reports indicating a rise in crowd noise when he entered the field. He was seated in a VIP section alongside Infantino, his wife Melania, and other host country leaders, including Mark Carney of Canada and Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico.
One notable moment occurred when Argentina defender Cristian Romero bypassed Trump without shaking his hand while receiving his medal from Infantino. Romero did, however, shake hands with Sheinbaum and Carney. Despite past criticisms of Trump, Spain’s Borja Iglesias did shake the US president’s hand.
Post-match interactions and comments
After Spain captain Rodri hoisted the trophy, Trump lingered on the stage. Infantino reportedly moved to chaperone the US president to the side, allowing Rodri and the Spanish squad to celebrate. This interaction was described as somewhat awkward, though it did not result in a significant photobomb.
Trump also engaged in a discussion with Mark Carney regarding Canadian wildfires. Upon returning to Washington, Trump recounted telling Carney that Canada needed to stop the fires from affecting US air quality. He suggested that Canada might need to pay damages or face tariffs, citing business closures due to the air quality issues.
Speaking to FOX before the match, Trump expressed his desire for the United States to host another World Cup immediately. He stated, “We have to do this again, and we have to do this again while I am around, hear that Gianni?!” However, with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco confirmed as 2030 hosts and Saudi Arabia for 2034, the US could not host again until 2038 at the earliest.
Tournament reflections
The World Cup final itself saw Spain triumph over Argentina. Argentina’s performance in the final was described as lacking ambition and quality, with no shots on target throughout the entire 120 minutes and Enzo Fernández receiving a red card. Lionel Messi was also noted for pleading with the referee for a red card against Marc Cucurella.
Despite the controversies, Trump declared the World Cup to have been “one of the greatest events of any kind ever held.” The tournament was the largest ever, featuring more teams, matches, and hosts than previous editions. While some matches, such as Ecuador against Curaçao, were described as a slog, there were also memorable moments.
Cape Verde was highlighted as a refreshing presence, being the only nation to play Spain and remain unscathed, with their near-miss against Argentina in the last 32 becoming part of World Cup folklore. Belgium’s late comeback against Senegal and England’s 6-4 victory over France were also noted as memorable moments from the tournament.
The tournament concluded with a final described as tired, where the better team was stifled by an opponent that refused to engage fully, leading to a sense of exhaustion among some football fans. Wayne Rooney offered a succinct review of the half-time show, stating, “I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap.”
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Source: theguardian.com