United States President Donald Trump repeated the controversial scenes that followed last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final by remaining on stage during Spain’s trophy celebration after the country’s victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal to secure La Roja’s second World Cup title.
Trump joined FIFA President Gianni Infantino to present the trophy to Spain captain Rodri.
Instead of leaving the podium after the presentation, Trump remained at the centre of the celebrations as Spain’s players prepared to lift the trophy.
Television footage showed Infantino repeatedly gesturing for the US president to step aside, but Trump lingered on the stage as confetti fell and the Spanish players celebrated around him.
The 80-year-old also performed a brief version of his trademark “Trump dance” in front of the newly crowned world champions.
Trump had earlier been greeted with loud boos from sections of the crowd as he walked onto the pitch alongside Infantino.
According to White House pool reports, the crowd noise rose from 78 decibels to 84 decibels when the US president appeared on the stadium’s giant screen and entered the field.
Before kick-off, Trump predicted Lionel Messi would inspire Argentina to victory and also spoke about his relationship with Argentine President Javier Milei.
Following Spain’s victory, however, he admitted the better side had won.
He said: “I wasn’t sad. I would say Spain played better, really.”
Earlier in the week, Trump praised the tournament during a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York.
He said: “This has been the most successful sporting event maybe in the history of the world. It’s been amazing.”
Trump added: “It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain.”
The incident mirrored last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final at the same venue, where Trump stayed on the podium after presenting the trophy to Chelsea, positioned himself at the centre of the team’s victory photographs and later claimed he had kept the original trophy in the Oval Office.
FIFA later clarified that the trophy displayed at the White House was a replica.
