(VIDEO) Trump Presents World Cup Trophy to Champion Spain, Draws Boos and Criticism for Staying on the Stage

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — President Donald Trump presented the World Cup trophy to Spain on Sunday after the team's extra-time victory over Argentina, capping the largest World Cup in tournament history with a ceremony that drew both cheers for the champions and audible boos directed at the president himself.

Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino were greeted with boos from the crowd at New York New Jersey Stadium as they walked onto the field for the postgame trophy ceremony following Spain's 1-0 win, secured on Ferran Torres' goal in the 106th minute. Spain's victory marked the country's second World Cup title, having previously won its first championship in 2010, also on an extra-time goal, in a 1-0 win over the Netherlands.

A moment Trump made his own

While the ceremony was intended to celebrate Spain's players, Trump appeared reluctant to cede the spotlight during the trophy presentation itself. After handing the trophy to Spain's Golden Ball-winning midfielder, Rodri, Trump remained on stage as the Spanish team began celebrating their victory by lifting the trophy into the air together. Infantino was seen moving across the stage toward Trump in an apparent attempt to guide him away and allow the players to celebrate as a team, though Trump remained in place during the moment.

The extended presence on stage came during what was otherwise a triumphant moment for Spain's players, several of whom, including defender Pau Cubarsi, were seen shaking hands with Trump during the broader award presentations that also included FIFA's Young Player award.

Trump frames tournament as a US success story

Ahead of Sunday's final, Trump had already begun framing the tournament's outcome in terms of American success, even though the United States men's national team was eliminated well before the championship match. Speaking Friday at a FIFA reception held at Trump Tower in New York City, Trump said the tournament had proven the United States could be considered a major soccer nation.

"It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it's going to remain," Trump said, adding that the tournament had brought the world together.

For the White House, Sunday's final represented the culmination of more than a year of logistical coordination alongside co-hosts Canada and Mexico in staging what organizers have described as the largest World Cup in the tournament's history, spanning three countries and featuring an expanded 48-team format for the first time.

A tournament shadowed by controversy

The build-up to the final was not without controversy for the Trump administration. The expanded hosting arrangement across the United States, Canada and Mexico unfolded against a backdrop of criticism over U.S. immigration restrictions that affected some international fans attempting to travel to matches throughout the tournament, adding a layer of political tension to what organizers had hoped would be an unambiguously celebratory event for global soccer.

Trump's relationship with FIFA leadership, and with Infantino in particular, also drew scrutiny during the tournament. Speaking at Friday's reception at Trump Tower, Trump referenced an incident involving a red card issued against United States player Folarin Balogun earlier in the tournament, describing how he had contacted Infantino directly to register a complaint about the officiating decision. Trump characterized the call as an informal recommendation to FIFA's president, a comment that drew attention to the close personal relationship the two men have cultivated in the lead-up to the tournament.

A relationship built over more than a year

Sunday's ceremony represented the culmination of a partnership between Trump and Infantino that had been building since at least December, when Infantino presented Trump with FIFA's newly created "Peace Prize" during the World Cup's official draw ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington. At the time, Trump had called the honor one of the great honors of his life.

Infantino had also confirmed months in advance of the tournament that Trump would co-present the championship trophy alongside him, describing the arrangement during a World Economic Forum event in Davos as a sacred tradition that FIFA intended to preserve regardless of which teams reached the final.

A high-profile guest list for the finale

Sunday's final drew a notable roster of political leaders beyond Trump. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, First Lady Melania Trump, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick were among those in attendance for the championship match, reflecting the multinational hosting arrangement that defined this year's tournament across the three co-host countries.

What comes next

With the trophy presentation now complete and Spain crowned champion for the second time in the country's history, attention across the soccer world is expected to shift toward the individual accolades tied to the tournament, including the race for the Ballon d'Or, as well as preparations already underway for the 2030 World Cup, which will be staged across six countries spanning three continents to mark the tournament's centennial. For Trump and the White House, Sunday's ceremony closed out a high-profile chapter of U.S. engagement with global soccer, even as the trophy presentation itself became one of the most discussed and debated moments of the tournament's closing night.