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Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Final - Spain v Argentina - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - July 19, 2026 U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino with the World Cup trophy during the trophy presentation IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Mark J Rebilas
United States President Donald Trump played a central part in the ceremony for Sunday afternoon’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, but one Democratic lawmaker wishes he were not there.
Following the match, Trump helped award medals and the trophy to Spain after their 1-0 victory over Argentina, as his impact on the tournament has been nearly impossible to ignore over the past several weeks, for better or for worse. But U.S. House Representative Yassamin Ansari of Arizona was not happy to see him at the event.
Trump’s World Cup Controversies
While both Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino have claimed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico was highly successful, not everyone felt that way.
Trump and the United States have faced a lot of criticism throughout the tournament for a wide variety of reasons.
Fans have expressed frustration at FIFA’s decision to allow Trump to hand the trophy to the victors following the World Cup Final, the treatment of Iranian players throughout the tournament, the Americanization of the sport with commercials during “hydration breaks,” an extended Super Bowl style halftime show at the final, and championship rings, and most notably, Trump’s involvement in getting the red card suspension to Folarin Balogun overturned.
The Balogun red card situation sparked such widespread outrage throughout the international soccer community that it sounds like there is at least a chance that it could cost Infantino a re-election bid.
As a result of these controversies, Trump was loudly booed by fans on multiple occasions during his appearance at the match on Sunday.
‘Nobody wanted him there’
Following the match, Trump was tasked with handing the trophy to the winning team, which turned out to be Spain. However, the presentation turned out to be far more awkward than expected.
Trump handed the trophy to Spain, as planned, and offered his congratulations to a few of the players. However, instead of walking off the podium and allowing the team their celebration, Trump stood right with the team, refusing to move even as FIFA President Gianni Infantino tried to usher him off the stage to allow the Spanish players to celebrate and take photos.
It was a bizarre moment that sparked widespread outrage, and now Ansari is speaking up.
“Nobody wanted him there,” she said this week. “I love the World Cup. It showed us how much unites us as opposed to what divides us, and Donald Trump is the exact opposite of that. He made the entire experience of having the World Cup hosted by the United States so difficult.
“We know that, for example, they made Iranian players travel in and out of the country. They were discriminated against. We had referees from Somalia not even be let into the country. We had ICE detain players and question them for hours. I don’t think the U.S. did what it was supposed to do as host, and Donald Trump is the reason for that. So I wish I had never seen Donald Trump yesterday.”
That said, Ansari is pleased with the outcome of the match itself.
“I’m really glad Spain won. I was rooting for Spain, and ultimately I’m pretty sad the World Cup is over now,” she added.
The post ‘Nobody wanted him there’: Donald Trump sparks outrage from Democratic lawmaker appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
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