Former U.S. President Donald Trump made a notable appearance on stage alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino during Spain's World Cup trophy celebration. Trump, who was booed by the crowd upon entering the field, presented silver medals to the defeated Argentinian players, including Lionel Messi, before joining Infantino to welcome Spain's team to the stage.
Trump and Infantino presented various awards to match officials and players before Spain's captain Rodri accepted the World Cup trophy from Trump. During the trophy lift, Trump stood beside the Spanish squad as confetti fell, while Infantino appeared to attempt to usher him away from the players. The scene drew attention, with an estimated 1.5 to 1.8 billion viewers tuning in for the final match.
Trump also presented awards to Spain's players, including the Young Player of the Tournament (Pau Cubarsi), the Golden Glove (Unai Simon), and the Golden Ball (Rodri).
Following the match, FIFA President Gianni Infantino entered Spain's locker room to present the team with Super Bowl-style gold championship rings shortly after their 1-0 victory over Argentina in extra time. FIFA had announced prior to the final that 'bespoke championship rings' were manufactured, with 30 to be presented to the winning team. Infantino was pictured handing a ring to Spain captain Rodri and also provided players with replica World Cup trophies.
These rings, which FIFA stated will feature the World Cup trophy on one side and be customized to reflect the winning team's identity on the other, are a tradition in American sports, most notably the Super Bowl. A total of 2,026 rings were made, with 1,996 designated for sale to fans at a reported price of $148,000 each. Infantino noted that temporary rings would be given to the captain and head coach immediately after the final, with the remaining 30 rings to be customized and officially presented at a later date. Spain secured their second World Cup title with a 106th-minute goal from Ferran Torres.
One notable moment during the medal ceremony was Argentina's defender Cristian Romero appearing to ignore Trump as he collected his silver medal from Infantino before walking past the former president on stage. Images from the event show Trump and Infantino on stage amidst the celebration, Trump with the trophy, and Infantino in the locker room with the Spanish team.