Spain’s World Cup triumph was overshadowed by controversy after U.S. President Donald Trump became a major talking point during the post-match celebrations.

The politician, who attended the final and took part in the trophy presentation alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, drew widespread attention for remaining close to Spain’s players as they celebrated their victory.

The moment has since gone viral on social media, leading to mockery of Donald Trump with the Spanish team completely editing him out of their official photo.

Spain’s Triumph Shares the Spotlight With Donald Trump During Awkward Moment

Spain’s World Cup victory over Argentina should have been the defining story of Sunday’s final, but much of the post-match conversation centered on U.S. President Donald Trump, whose presence during the trophy presentation sparked widespread discussion.

The country secured the championship with an extra-time winner from Ferran Torres, defeating Argentina in a dramatic final. While the match delivered plenty of excitement, tensions flared after the final whistle as several Argentine players and staff members reacted angrily in scenes that overshadowed the conclusion of the contest.

As Spain’s players prepared to celebrate their victory, Trump joined FIFA president Gianni Infantino on the field for the trophy presentation. However, the spotlight briefly shifted away from the champions when Trump remained close to the team during the celebrations, despite apparent efforts to clear the stage for the players.

Photographs from the ceremony showed the president applauding and acknowledging spectators while Spanish captain Rodri lifted the trophy nearby. The moment quickly generated discussion online, with many observers focusing on Trump’s presence, especially as he politely got ushered to the side by Rodri, before being further pulled away by Infantino.

The President Has Been Viciously Mocked Online As Spain Edits Him Out Of Their Photo

However, Trump still managed to remain in the shot, leading to the Spanish team completely editing him out of the photo shared on their page.

To add to the controversial moment, a hot mic caught an SBS commentator speaking about Trump standing too close to the Spanish team as they posed to celebrate their win, with the person saying, “They can edit him out of that.”

Over on social media, things were more brutal, as comments poured in from all over the world, slamming the president for refusing to clear the stage for the footballers.

One account wrote in a viral post, “WORLD WIDE HUMILIATION: Trump hands the World Cup trophy to Spain, then refuses to get off stage, despite Gianni Infantino trying to direct him off of it. This might be the most embarrassing thing I have ever seen.”

Another viral post noted, “Trump has no shame, and he knows exactly what he’s doing. Get off the f-cking stage and let the players have their moment.”

Donald Trump Praises Spain And Calls For Another U.S-Hosted World Cup

Speaking afterward, Trump praised Spain’s performance and acknowledged their superiority on the day. “They both played well. I would say Spain played better,” he said. “It was very exciting. It looked like Spain dominated, but it was a very close match.”

The president also described the tournament as “one of the greatest events of any kind,” pointing to the large number of international visitors who traveled to North America for the competition.

“People have come from all over the world and loved our country. We have showed our country in a different light, and it was a great thing,” he said.

Looking ahead, Trump expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of bringing another World Cup to the United States in the future. He said: “Based on the numbers, we will be requesting it immediately. We have to do this again, and we have to do this again while I am around, hear that, Gianni?”

Trump added: “You should choose the United States of America again. This time, we will leave Canada and Mexico out. You choose us and pick somebody else for the next one, and that’ll take some of the anger, hatred, and steam out of everyone.”

Donald Trump’s Trophy Presentation Came Days After Harsh Criticism Of Spain

The appearance was particularly notable because it came less than two weeks after Trump publicly criticized Spain during a dispute over NATO spending.

During a joint press conference in Ankara, Turkey, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump voiced frustration with Spain’s contributions to the alliance, describing the country as an unreliable partner and threatening economic consequences.

“Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way. I’d like to cut it off,” Trump said at the time. He later added that Spain was a “terrible partner in NATO” and used even harsher language while discussing the country’s role in the alliance.

“They don’t participate, they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, please. Including visits. We don’t want anything to do,” he continued. “We don’t have to trade with them. I don’t want to do any more trade with them. Make it immediately. Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless. Bad people.”

Donald Trump Adds World Cup Final To List Of Major Sporting Appearances

The World Cup final marked another addition to Trump’s growing list of appearances at major sporting events since returning to office.

Over the past two years, he has attended the Super Bowl, the U.S. Open, the Daytona 500, the Ryder Cup, several golf tournaments, college football’s national championship game, and Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where he was met with boos from parts of the crowd.

His appearance at the World Cup final also marked a historic first, making him the first sitting U.S. president to attend a World Cup final held on American soil. When the United States previously hosted the tournament in 1994, then-President Bill Clinton did not attend the championship match, with Vice President Al Gore instead handling the trophy presentation.

Trump has also developed a strong working relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. During the tournament, reports indicated that he personally contacted the FIFA chief regarding the suspension of U.S. forward Folarin Balogun following a controversial red card in the knockout stage.

FIFA later overturned the ban, allowing Balogun to return to action. However, the episode generated widespread debate and added another layer of scrutiny to the U.S. team’s campaign, which ultimately ended with an elimination loss to Belgium.

The Trump Faces ‘Humiliating’ World Cup Moment After Being ‘Politely Pushed’ Aside During Spain’s Victory Shoot Before Brutal Edit first appeared on The Blast