On July 19 local time, US President Donald Trump attended the World Cup final, watching the match from behind bulletproof glass. After the game, he presented the World Cup trophy to champions Spain alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
After handing the trophy to captain Rodri and greeting the Spanish players, Trump did not step away as protocol normally requires. Instead, he remained alongside the Spanish squad, posing for photos and joining in the victory celebrations.
Live broadcast footage clearly showed Infantino approaching Trump, quietly gesturing and signalling for him to move off the stage. Trump did not respond and stayed with the players to celebrate, only slowly making his way down later.
Infantino had previously confirmed that Trump would attend the World Cup final in New Jersey and join him in presenting the trophy to the winning team.
According to US media, the usual World Cup protocol is for the FIFA President to present the trophy in the presence of the host head of state, with the head of state directly handing over the trophy being rare.
However, Trump had already "broken protocol" once before at the Club World Cup final. After presenting the trophy to Chelsea in 2025, he stayed on stage with the players to celebrate instead of stepping away like other presenters.
According to Workers' Daily, although Trump had not appeared at any matches before the final, his presence had been felt throughout the tournament — from personally chairing the White House's 2026 World Cup Task Force during preparations, to receiving the inaugural FIFA Peace Award at the draw, to personally intervening over the red card suspension of US striker Balogun during the tournament.
Trump's high-profile style has been consistent, including during the US hosting of this World Cup. He made the tournament a domestic political agenda item, using it as a tool to showcase his governance capabilities and crafting his own "World Cup narrative."
Whether in preparation or during the tournament itself, the "theme of unity" that the 2026 World Cup sought to project was often overshadowed. Tensions among the three hosts — the US, Canada, and Mexico — continued due to unilateral US actions like repealing NAFTA and imposing tariffs. Meanwhile, strict US visa policies toward Iranian teams, fans, and even referees, along with immigration enforcement, high ticket prices, and domestic political divisions, have all altered the essence of this tournament.
(Source: Workers' Daily, China News Service; Video source: CCTV / Weibo)
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