Off the field, President Trump has made it clear that he is no fan of Spain, having repeatedly criticized the country and its prime minister over military spending, immigration and its lack of support for the U.S. war with Iran.
“I don’t want anything to do with Spain,” Mr. Trump said at a NATO summit in Turkey this month, arguing that trade should be cut off.
He continued: “They’re hopeless. Bad people.”
But after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday to win its second World Cup, Mr. Trump seemingly had little choice but to exhibit diplomacy, helping to hand the golden trophy to players on the field at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as confetti rained down.
Mr. Trump, who has indulged in the trappings of hosting the world’s most-watched sporting event and unabashedly used his political power to get the suspension of a U.S. soccer star overturned, placed medals around the necks of the players from both teams.
As he emerged on the field for the post-match celebrations, boos came from the crowd of more than 80,000 spectators.
It was the second time in less than six weeks that Mr. Trump had sought to commandeer the spotlight at a major championship in the New York metro area.
On June 8, Mr. Trump, a Queens native, watched the New York Knicks suffer their lone loss of the N.B.A. Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden before winning their first title in 53 years five nights later.
His presence on Sunday again brought extra layers of security, traffic snarls and closures, this time to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., where world leaders, celebrities and deep-pocketed fans converged.
The spectators included Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York, who was also in attendance when the Knicks lost Game 3 of the championship series. Also at the match was Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain, who watched his country win the World Cup for the first time since 2010, breaking through with the game’s only goal in extra time.
Argentina had been seeking to become the first nation to defend its title since Brazil did so in 1962.
Less than an hour before the game, Mr. Trump scripted his own flyover. Marine One, the presidential helicopter, cruised high above the stadium. Mr. Trump marveled at the view, according to a video posted on social media by his daughter, Ivanka Trump.
“Wow,” Mr. Trump said.
FIFA selected the United States, along with Canada and Mexico in a joint bid, as a tournament hosts during Mr. Trump’s first term in 2018. Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympics in 2028.
Mr. Trump has sought to frame these events as part of an American sports renaissance.
But his sway over FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, and its president, Gianni Infantino, has fueled multiple controversies.
The two were briefly shown on the stadium’s video screens sitting together behind bulletproof glass during the U.S. national anthem. Ronaldo Nazario, the Brazilian soccer legend, spoke with Mr. Trump, who was seated near President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico and Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Infantino cradled the trophy as they handed it off to the players from Spain, with Mr. Trump giving one of his familiar fist pumps.
In December, Mr. Infantino awarded Mr. Trump with an inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, a recognition that was widely mocked after Mr. Trump’s unsuccessful campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize. FIFA opened an office in Trump Tower in New York.
In the lead-up and during the more than monthlong tournament, the Trump administration drew complaints after imposing travel restrictions on Iran’s national team and denying some journalists and a FIFA-backed referee from Somalia entry into the United States.
But the loudest outcry occurred ahead of a knockout match between the United States and Belgium in early July when Mr. Trump lobbied Mr. Infantino to overturn the red card suspension of Folarin Balogun, the U.S. striker.
The star player was issued the penalty for a foul in the U.S. victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The anything-but-subtle pressure campaign of Mr. Trump succeeded, drawing protests from the Belgians, Europe’s soccer governing body and many international soccer fans. Vindication came for Belgium, which defeated the U.S., 4-1.
At a FIFA reception at Trump Tower on Friday night, Mr. Trump commended Mr. Infantino for the reinstatement while suggesting that it was a moot point because Belgium won the match.
“I said, ‘I’d like to wage a complaint,’” Mr. Trump said of his discussion with Mr. Infantino. “And actually, I had no idea what was going to happen. But you know, it’s so much better the way it worked out because there’s no controversy. They won the game, and our team had all of its players.”
At the reception, Mr. Trump said the World Cup was such a boon that the United States should get another chance to host.
“This time, we’ll leave Mexico and Canada out,” he said.
Adam Sella contributed reporting.
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