President Donald Trump capped off the largest World Cup in history Sunday by presenting the championship trophy to Spain following its dramatic victory over Argentina.
Trump attended the final at New York New Jersey Stadium alongside first lady Melania Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. His appearance made him the first sitting U.S. president to attend a World Cup final.
Before kickoff, Trump watched from a stadium suite as Jennifer Hudson delivered a powerful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The sold-out crowd applauded as the singer completed the national anthem, with Trump appearing briefly on the FOX Sports broadcast beside the first lady and Infantino.
The pregame closing ceremony also featured performances by Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Laura Pausini and other international stars. Actor Tom Cruise made a special appearance centered on the unity displayed across the United States, Canada and Mexico during the month-long tournament, according to FIFA.
Trump arrived at the stadium aboard Marine One, which flew over the venue before landing nearby. He later examined the World Cup trophy from his suite as Infantino held it up for him.
During a pregame interview with FOX Sports reporter Jenny Taft, Trump declined to make an outright prediction but appeared to lean toward defending champion Argentina because of Lionel Messi.
“I would say that it’s hard to bet against Messi,” Trump said, according to Mediaite. “He’s great.”
Spain ultimately denied Messi and Argentina back-to-back championships. The match remained scoreless through regulation before Ferran Torres found the net in the 106th minute, delivering Spain a 1-0 victory and its second men’s World Cup title.
After the final whistle, Trump joined Infantino on the field for the awards ceremony. The president helped distribute medals before he and the FIFA chief carried the trophy onto the stage and presented it to Spain captain Rodri.
Video shared by the White House showed Trump standing alongside the Spanish players as Rodri raised the trophy and gold confetti filled the air.
Trump remained on the stage for the opening moments of Spain’s celebration before Infantino guided him toward the side as the players continued celebrating. Some social media users later claimed Trump had been digitally removed from official photographs of the trophy lift.
However, subsequent reporting found no evidence of digital manipulation or a coordinated effort to erase the president. Spain’s social media accounts appeared to use a photograph taken after Trump had moved away, while other images were tightly framed around the players. Numerous photographs published by news organizations showed Trump participating in the presentation.
The final concluded a record-setting tournament that brought 48 teams to 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA said nearly 6.81 million fans attended the competition’s 104 matches, the highest total in World Cup history.
Trump celebrated the tournament as a major success for the United States.
“It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain,” Trump said Friday during a FIFA reception at Trump Tower. “This has really brought the world together.”
Speaking to reporters after the match, Trump said people had traveled from around the globe and “they love our country.” He also praised Spain’s performance and described the final as a close and exciting contest.
