President Donald Trump was booed by the crowd as he walked onto the stage to present medals and trophies to the teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Trump, who had been confirmed to be involved in the ceremony last month, was accompanied by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and joined by other dignitaries including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney.
Infantino had earlier stated that Trump would be "enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner," but it was Infantino who ultimately handed the trophy to Spanish captain Rodri. Trump did, however, present the players with their medals.
The World Cup final saw Spain defeat Argentina, with the Spanish team lifting the trophy.
Trump's involvement in the ceremony was not without controversy, with his close friendship with Infantino and apparent influence over the FIFA president receiving backlash from within U.S. Soccer and other countries.
The president had a similar role in the trophy presentation at the Club World Cup last summer, standing front and center as Chelsea lifted the tournament's trophy.
The incident is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Trump's involvement in international football, including his role in overturning a suspension on USMNT striker Folarin Balogun, which was met with backlash from Belgium.
It remains to be seen how this latest incident will affect Trump's involvement in international football, but for now, it seems that his presence at the World Cup final was not well-received by the crowd.
Source: Yahoo Sports