Following the dramatic conclusion of the World Cup 2026, the official protocol ceremony took place on the pitch to award the tournament medalists. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump were stationed side-by-side to hand out the honors to both finalist teams following Spain's tight victory over Argentina.
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Subscribe Sekarang →Argentina's players were the first to walk up the stage to receive their runner-up medals after a grueling campaign. According to editorial monitoring of the ceremony, defender Cristian Romero received his medal directly from Infantino and walked straight past President Trump without offering a handshake.
The moment occurred while Trump turned away briefly to collect a medal from an event official just as Romero stepped forward. Rather than waiting for the US President to turn around, the Tottenham defender chose to continue down the podium, though observers noted the action appeared to be a matter of timing rather than a deliberate political statement.
Spain's squad followed shortly after to collect their gold medals, including forward Borja Iglesias, who had previously addressed the prospect of meeting Trump before the final. Known for his outspoken stance on social issues, Iglesias had jokingly remarked prior to the match that he hoped any greeting would "pass very quickly" so he could focus on celebrating.
Based on observations of the medal walk, the Celta Vigo striker did exchange a handshake with Trump after receiving his medal from Infantino. However, Iglesias avoided eye contact with the US leader, quickly stepping past even as Trump offered a brief "Good job" during the rapid interaction.