On July 19, Spain triumphed over Argentina in the World Cup final, securing the championship title.
According to reports, during the award ceremony that day, U.S. President Trump and FIFA President Infantino were met with loud boos from the crowd as they entered. The jeers only subsided when the two began handing out medals to the players and coaches.
Infantino and Trump at the ceremony.
Reports say Trump arrived at the New Jersey stadium by helicopter and sat with Infantino, watching the final through bulletproof glass. When the U.S. national anthem played, Trump appeared briefly on the big screen, drawing scattered boos from the crowd.
But the real uproar came after Spain’s victory. As Trump and Infantino stepped onto the field for the award ceremony, the stadium erupted in loud boos. White House press corps noted that the crowd noise, which had been around 78 decibels earlier, surged to 84 decibels when Trump entered.
Sources indicate the controversy traces back to a red card given to U.S. player Balogun during a match against Bosnia. Trump reportedly called Infantino demanding a review of the suspension, making him the center of the biggest dispute in this World Cup.
During the ceremony, after presenting the trophy to Spain, Trump lingered on the podium to celebrate with the players. Infantino had to try to pull him away.
This mirrors a similar incident at last summer’s Club World Cup final, where Trump stayed on stage to celebrate with Chelsea players after awarding them the trophy, leaving everyone confused.