Donald Trump drew a hostile reaction from sections of the crowd during the medal ceremony following the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. As the U.S. president walked onto the field alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino to present medals to the players, loud boos echoed around the stadium. Trump acknowledged the crowd by waving despite the negative reception.
The president watched the match from a VIP suite alongside Infantino, First Lady Melania Trump, Eric Trump, and Barron Trump. The box also included a number of high-profile political and sporting figures, among them Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Andrew Giuliani. After the final, Trump praised the tournament, saying, "I don't think there's ever been anything like what happened with the whole World Cup. It was wonderful to watch."
Trump's appearance came against the backdrop of earlier controversies during the tournament. He faced criticism after holding a private conversation with Infantino and calling for a review of the red card shown to U.S. forward Folarin Balogun in the Round of 32. The suspension was later overturned, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium in the Round of 16, prompting accusations from fans that FIFA had shown favoritism. Trump defended his actions, saying, "All I did was ask for a review because I didn't think it was a foul. It wasn't even a foul." Despite Balogun's return, Belgium eliminated the United States with a 4-1 victory before its players mocked Trump's involvement by performing a celebratory dance resembling moves associated with his 2024 presidential campaign.
