Donald Trump arrived this Sunday at the stadium in New York/New Jersey, in East Rutherford, to witness the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, and before the kickoff, he made his admiration for Lionel Messi clear: "It's hard to bet against Messi."
The president spoke with Fox Sports moments before the match and refrained from openly taking sides with either team, although his words left little room for interpretation.
"The President of Argentina is a good friend of mine; he has done a great job. But what I can say is that it’s hard to bet against Lionel Messi," Trump stated, also referring to his relationship with Javier Milei.
"I'm not going to pick favorites. I just know that I wouldn't bet against Messi. He's great," added the U.S. president.
This is not the first time Trump has praised the Argentine star during this tournament. On Saturday, at the official FIFA reception held at Trump Tower in Manhattan, the president detailed a technical play by Messi in the semifinal against England, when the Rosario native set up Enzo Fernández for the comeback in the 85th minute.
"It was brilliant. It was a quarter-inch away from being perfect," Trump said about that action, adding that "Messi and Ronaldo were born with something very special. They are blessed with something extra special."
Trump had not attended any other matches of the tournament, reserving his presence exclusively for the final, where he is also expected to present the trophy to the champion alongside the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, following the tradition of the host head of state.
The authorities' box gathered this Sunday prominent figures from around the world: King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani, and Infantino.
Milei, on the other hand, decided not to travel to New Jersey due to a superstition and followed the match from the Quinta de Olivos in Buenos Aires, accompanied by his sister Karina.
The match between Argentina and Spain is unprecedented in World Cup history. Messi, at 39 years, arrives at the final with 8 goals and 4 assists in the tournament, and with this match, he equals Brazilian Cafú as the only player to have competed in three World Cup finals —2014, 2022, and 2026—.
Messi himself described this match as “surely his last match in a World Cup”, adding a historical dimension to a game that already signifies a milestone in international football.
The champion will receive a prize of 50 million dollars, a record amount in FIFA history.
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