The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina always promised to provide one of the great sporting spectacles. Ultimately, it completely let us down as Argentina played zero football and Spain eventually got the breakthrough in extra time through Ferran Torres and won their second World Cup title.
Off the field, it also brought the considerable risk of Donald Trump attempting to make himself the centre of attention.
The US president was among the high-profile guests at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he sat alongside his close pal, FIFA president Gianni ‘Johnny’ Infantino.
Trump and Infantino were shown laughing together by the television cameras early in the game, continuing a relationship which has become increasingly prominent and controversial throughout the build-up to the tournament.
Trump’s presence also caused considerable disruption outside the stadium.
The final was designated a National Special Security Event, with US Secret Service personnel conducting individual searches of supporters and their bags. Those additional checks contributed to lengthy delays, despite fans being advised to arrive several hours before kick-off. Media and stadium staff also encountered significant disruption.
Given the events of the previous 12 months, few could have been surprised when Trump again became part of the story on the biggest day in world football.
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It was not the first time Trump had made his presence felt at the MetLife Stadium.
After Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 Club World Cup final, Donald Trump joined Infantino on the podium to present the trophy to Reece James.
He was expected to move aside once the formal presentation had been completed. Instead, Trump remained in the middle of the stage as Chelsea began their celebrations.
During this tournament, the US president publicly bragged that he had intervened to help get Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension lifted before the round-of-16 defeat to Belgium. FIFA denied that Trump had influenced the disciplinary process.
The farcical episode came only months after Infantino presented Trump with FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize at the World Cup draw in Washington. The newly created award was widely ridiculed and prompted further scrutiny of the increasingly close relationship between the pair.
Spain Players Tried And Failed To Remove Donald Trump From World Cup Trophy Lift
After a half-time show which included Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Madonna, Kermit the Frog and some members of The Muppets, we still had potentially the biggest sideshow of all to come.
Trump made sure to insert himself next to Gianni’s bright white runners, handed out some of the medals to the and did appear to ask Spain’s manager Luis De la Fuente if he was ‘the coach’.
When it came for time to lift the World Cup trophy, Trump did his best uncle at a wedding impression, hanging around on the side of the presentation area as Rodri attempted to usher him away, Infantino came along to slightly move the US president as he attempted to do his usual dance moves with some of the Spain team.
Champions du monde, Campeones de la Copa del Mundo, Curaidh an Chorn Domhanda, World Cup Champions SPAIN!!!!
You have watched all 104 games from the #FIFAWorldCup on RTÉ pic.twitter.com/zURKYW0hti
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 19, 2026
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