President Donald Trump made Spain’s World Cup victory about himself again with one viral moment.
Spain should have been the only story after the team’s dramatic World Cup title win.
Instead, the trophy presentation took an unexpected turn when FIFA President Gianni Infantino ran to stop Trump’s usual antics.
Trump was booed loudly as he walked onto the MetLife Stadium field Sunday evening. A trophy ceremony was held following Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina.
The jeers were reportedly even louder than when Trump first appeared on the Jumbotron after Jennifer Hudson’s national anthem.
Trump pressed on anyway, joining Infantino, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on stage.
He appeared to hand out medals before presenting the trophy to Spain’s captain, Rodri.
That part was standard. What came next wasn’t.
Infantino gave Trump a pat on the back, signaling it was time to leave, then walked off, expecting him to follow. Instead, Trump stayed put.
Instead, Trump walked over and stopped in front of the celebrating Spanish players as they prepared to lift the trophy. He saw the photo op and thought to join in, but was pushed out of the shot.
Infantino had to think fast as he turned back and realized Trump was still there on the platform.
He then broke into a frantic, exasperated smile before nearly sprinting back to pull the U.S. president aside.
Trump was still defiant, making a move as if he were leaving. He then turned back and rejoined the players just as gold confetti began falling.
Trump briefly wedged himself into Spain’s team photo before finally being walked off.
Threads users tore into the moment almost immediately.
One person compared the scene to old-school stagecraft, joking that FIFA needed “those old hooks they had in vaudeville to pull people off the stage.”
Another called it flat-out humiliating, writing, “Ha ha, how to unnecessarily involve yourself as the second person holding a trophy to present. Humiliating. I love this for him.”
A third individual summed up the chaos: “What a mess! team waiting for him to leave yet he won’t.”
Referring to Trump’s history with shiny gold medals and awards, one person asked, “Did he try to steal it? That’s what he usually does.”
Another added, “This is his M.O. He does it all the time. Such an embarrassment.”
One had an idea of what happened: “He tried to be a part of the team winning photo, but he was shuffled off the stage-what a loser and he got booed pretty loudly.”
The booing itself became its own storyline.
When he walked out with the lead of FIFA, Trump smiled and waved through the jeers. He thought he could distract people by clapping as if he were soaking up applause rather than scorn.
“Trump booed again as he walks out to hand out the trophies,” one posted, as another joined in, writing, “The man is insane. He waves to a crowd that is booing him like he can’t hear it. I’ve never seen this level of insanity outside of a straitjacket and padded walls.”
One Threads user wrote, “DJT probably thinks the whistles are a good thing,” as another joked, “He’ll post about a warm reception later.”
“Umm, wait, he’s clapping for himself,” one observed. If Sunday’s stunt felt like a rerun that’s because it was.
The same scene unfolded at the 2025 Club World Cup final when Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0. Fans booed Trump as he walked onto the pitch.
Trump and Infantino carried the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James. After handing it over, Trump stayed beside James instead of stepping aside for the trophy lift.
Cole Palmer and his teammates stood behind them, visibly unsure what to do as they waited for Trump to leave so they could celebrate. Infantino eventually guided Trump off to the side.
Players, including Cole Palmer, stood behind them looking visibly unsure what to do, waiting for Trump to clear out so the moment could belong to the team that won it. He didn’t move until Infantino guided him off to the side.
Infantino had a full year and a real-time example to learn from.
Instead of setting a boundary after the 2025 incident, Infantino presented Trump with FIFA’s newly created Peace Prize that December. Many viewed the award as a stand-in for the Nobel Peace Prize Trump has long coveted but never received. Unlike his predecessor, Barack Obama.
