Former President Donald Trump made an appearance on the field at MetLife Stadium following Spain's victory in the FIFA World Cup final, where he joined FIFA President Gianni Infantino for the trophy presentation. Spain secured their second World Cup title by defeating Lionel Messi's Argentina 1-0 in extra time.
Shortly after the match concluded, Trump entered the field and was met with audible boos from the spectators. He then proceeded onto the stage with Infantino to present awards and the World Cup trophy to Spain's captain, Rodri. Trump also awarded silver medals to the Argentinian players, including Messi.
During the trophy lift, Trump stood alongside the Spanish squad as they celebrated. Video footage appeared to show Infantino attempting to guide Trump away from the players before the lift, but Trump remained on stage. Confetti and cheers erupted as Rodri raised the trophy, with Trump clapping and smiling. This marked Trump's second appearance at a World Cup trophy ceremony, having also presented the Club World Cup title the previous summer.
Prior to the trophy ceremony, Trump was seen in a VIP suite watching the match with his wife Melania, FIFA President Infantino, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. He also interacted with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Spain's Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI. Trump's son, Eric Trump, his wife Lara, and their children were also present in the suite with Infantino.
During his time on the field, Trump presented several awards to Spain's players, including the Young Player of the Tournament, the Golden Glove, and the Golden Ball. Notably, Argentina defender Cristian Romero appeared to ignore Trump while receiving his medal from Infantino.
The appearance came despite Trump's recent public criticism of Spain regarding its contributions to NATO. Earlier in July, he had called Spain a "terrible partner" and suggested cutting off trade ties. Following the ceremony, Trump indicated that Spain had made concessions to improve their standing with him.
The World Cup final also saw post-match altercations among some Argentinian players, who were involved in scuffles with Spain's players after the whistle. Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes was sent off for his involvement in these incidents.
Earlier in the day, Trump had expressed his opinion that "it's hard to bet against Messi" when speaking about Argentina's star player. However, Spain's late goal in extra time ultimately denied Messi and Argentina a second consecutive World Cup title.