Donald Trump praised the performance of the Spanish national team and dismissed any diplomatic friction with Madrid following Spain's victory over Argentina in the final of the 2026 World Cup, held on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The U.S. president made his statements aboard Air Force One and before the media at Joint Base Andrews, on his return to Washington after witnessing the final in which Spain triumphed 1-0 over Argentina in extra time.
"Spain played better, to be honest."
Asked about the match, Trump was straightforward in his sports appraisal: “I would say that Spain played better, to be honest, but both did well. It seemed like Spain was in control, but it was a very close match, so it was great.”
The president elaborated on the same idea: "I think both played well. It seemed like Spain was dominating, but it was a very close match, so it was great, it was a big event."
Trump also handed the World Cup to Spanish captain Rodri Hernández alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, in front of 82,500 spectators, during a ceremony that generated viral images: the president remained on stage after presenting the trophy while the Spanish players waited for him to leave so they could lift it. Infantino tried to guide him off the stage in a moment that sparked widespread discussion on social media.
"I have no tension with anyone."
Beyond the football analysis, Trump's remarks about the bilateral relationship with Spain drew as much attention as the result itself. "I have spoken with Spain and congratulated them on having a great team. I have talked to a lot of people," he stated. He was even more emphatic: "I have no tension with anyone."
The contrast with his previous statements was striking. Just 12 days earlier, during the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump had described Spain as a "lost cause" and a "horrible ally," even going so far as to verbally order a halt to bilateral trade.
“Spain is a disaster. Spain is terrible. It is not a good member within the Atlantic Alliance,” he stated at the time to the media.
The tensions had specific roots: the refusal of Pedro Sánchez's government to increase defense spending to the 5% of GDP required by Washington and the refusal to allow the use of the Rota and Morón military bases for U.S. operations against Iran.
Spain also closed its airspace to U.S. aircraft involved in that conflict.
Face to face in the MetLife box
On Sunday, Trump and Sánchez saw each other again, this time in a radically different setting.
In the stands of MetLife Stadium, the U.S. president shook hands with the Spanish president, as well as with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
He also shared a stage with the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, and the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, leaders of the other two host countries of the tournament.
The meeting took place days after Spain was crowned world champion for the second time, with a goal from Ferrán Torres in the 106th minute of extra time, 16 years after its first title in South Africa 2010.
A World Cup "five times greater than any other"
Trump took the opportunity to claim the success of the tournament as the host. "There has never been anything like it, probably in terms of events, and much less in terms of soccer," he stated.
He went further in quantifying it: "It has been four times greater than any other event held by FIFA. And it is probably about five times, in fact, according to what I was told today," he stated without specifying the criteria for the comparison.
The president also suggested that the United States might submit a solo bid to host a future World Cup, joking about the possibility of going without Canada and Mexico as co-hosts.
Trump concluded his remarks with a message of national pride: the World Cup, he said, "has shown our country from a different perspective" and demonstrated that people from all over the world can visit the United States and "fall in love" with the country.
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