Spain risks diplomatic incident as Trump embarrassed at World Cup trophy lift

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Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

Spain secured their second ever World Cup triumph against Argentina on Sunday, thanks to a Ferran Torres strike in extra-time, but their trophy lift was somewhat hindered by the presence of U.S. president Donald Trump.

The 80-year-old attended his first match of the 2026 World Cup at the MetLife Stadium and he was tasked with handing the trophy to Spain alongside FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino, in a repeat of what happened at the Club World Cup final last summer.

When Reece James lifted the Club World Cup trophy in 2025, Trump stood in between the Chelsea players, and a similar situation happened on Sunday, despite Infantino’s wish to drag Trump away.

Spain captain Rodri attempted to manoeuvre Trump out of the way in order for him to lift the trophy with his team-mates, while Infantino subsequently tried to usher the U.S. president out of shot. Trump refused to move, however, and he stood next to Pedri while Rodri lifted the trophy in celebration.

Trump eventually walked out of shot, but he was present next to the Spain squad for the initial trophy lift and it appears as though he may have been photoshopped out of their celebration picture.

The Spanish national team posted a picture of the trophy lift on X, however Trump was nowhere to be seen and it has been suggested that he was photoshopped out of frame.

Trump may not have the power to do anything about this snub, but his relationship with Spain has deteriorated to the point of no return recently and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that this could lead to a diplomatic incident.

In early July, Trump described Spain as a “terrible partner” and “a wasted cause,” while he reportedly told US trade secretary Scott Bessent: “Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless. They’re bad people... They make so much money with us, and we’re going to see that they make a lot less.”

Trump will therefore likely be angered by Spain’s decision to remove him from their trophy lift picture, if he is told about the incident and it proves to be true, and it could lead to further political tension given his hatred for the country.

Meanwhile, Argentina defender Cristian Romero refused to shake Trump’s hand while collecting his runners-up medal, with the Tottenham Hotspur star opting to ignore the U.S president, unlike his team-mates.

Spain win 2026 World Cup

Argentina failed to muster a single shot on goal during regular time against Spain - becoming the first nation in World Cup final history to achieve this unwanted feat - and they often resorted to aggressive tackles in a bid to unsettle their opponents.

It was this style that eventually led to Enzo Fernandez’s second yellow card offence in the 93rd minute, with the Argentina midfielder becoming the sixth player to be sent off in a World Cup final, while Leandro Paredes was also shown a red card after a brawl following the full-time whistle.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente admitted: “It was written, and we deserve it. This team and this wonderful fanbase deserve everything. We had a date with destiny and we wanted to make it count.

“The players have asked me what we have left to win. Together we’ve figured out that it’s the next match in September [against England in the Nations League] because this team is tireless.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Unai Simon, who conceded just one goal in seven matches and won the Golden Glove award, said: “The stats highlight the defensive work of the entire team. If you want to win a World Cup, you have to be consistent. We achieved this together.

“We played against Cristiano [Ronaldo]'s Portugal, [Kylian] Mbappé's France, and now [Lionel] Messi's Argentina, facing players who can wreak havoc at any moment. We managed to keep our cool and control our emotions, and that was crucial.”