Following Spain’s 1-0 World Cup final victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium official victory photos posted on social media featured the champions celebrating but U.S. President Donald Trump was nowhere to be seen.
Awkward stage presence
During the trophy ceremony, President Trump handed the trophy to Spain’s team alongside FIFA chief Gianni Infantino. However, he remained on the dais while players gathered for photos.
Australian commentator Claudio Fabiano noted live on air, “They’re gonna edit him out of that.”
Edited out of pictures
Both FIFA and the Spanish Football Federation later shared celebratory photos on social media cropped so tightly that Trump was excluded, leaving only a sliver of his shoulder visible in one image.
White House officials later responded by posting alternative photographs online that highlighted Trump on stage.
Backlash from fans
The President’s extended presence on stage sparked reactions from soccer fans.
One spectator expressed disappointment, stating, “I think it was kind of disrespectful,” while adding, “The moment is just for the team, for the players, for the trainers and he just kind of destroyed it.” Another fan urged officials to “let the players celebrate on their own.”
Political tensions persist
The photo controversy capped weeks of friction over NATO defense spending and foreign policy disagreements.
Neither FIFA nor Spanish football officials confirmed whether the photo framing was intentional, though the image generated widespread debate following Spain’s historic win.
