Donald Trump will present the World Cup trophy to the winners on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. But if Spain beat Argentina, the US president will have to congratulate a nation he has spent months vilifying. At last week’s NATO summit, Trump declared: “I don’t want anything to do with Spain. They’re hopeless, bad people.” He demanded all trade be cut off. Now victory for Luis de la Fuente Castillo’s team would force him to smile and hand over football’s greatest prize.
The trophy presentation caps a tournament dominated by Trump’s relationship with Fifa president Gianni Infantino. The pair have been at the heart of the biggest controversy this summer: Trump called Infantino to seek a review of US striker Folarin Balogun’s red card. The subsequent suspension of Balogun’s automatic ban was heavily criticised, with questions raised about the integrity of the tournament. Balogun played in the knockout game against Belgium, but the US lost 4-1. No other red or yellow cards have been suspended, despite appeals from France and England.
“Trump will present the World Cup trophy – but faces humiliation if Spain wins after months of insults.”
Trump has not attended any of the 102 World Cup games, missing all of the US matches before their last-16 exit. Reports during the tournament made clear that White House officials were anxious about him attending fixtures where supporters had taken up chants over his close friendship with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The fear was brutally simple: put Trump in a packed stadium, point the cameras, and the crowd might humiliate him live.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed Trump will attend the final. There is a weather warning in New York over air quality from Canadian wildfires, but no suggestion the match will be affected. Fifa will also present World Cup rings to the winners, a tradition borrowed from American sport. Thirty rings will go to the champions, and 1,996 will be sold to fans. Each ring includes a mini World Cup trophy and an engraving.
England play France in Miami on Saturday for third place, before Sunday’s final. Both matches are live on BBC One.
