The 2026 World Cup Was a Cynical Triumph

It was a great tournament. But the malign influence of Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino was inescapable.

The official team photo of Spain’s celebration at Sunday’s World Cup final looks the same as it always does, more or less. Rodri—the team’s jubilant captain and the tournament’s best player—lifts the golden trophy high overhead as his teammates surround him, fists raised, jumping in the air. It’s one of the purest moments in sports. Only 23 teams from eight nations have won the honor. This Spanish squad, only the second in the country’s history to win the cup, made history with a stingy defense that allowed just one goal in eight games.

If you look more closely at the photo FIFA shared, though, you’ll notice something odd in the bottom-right corner: a glimpse of a slightly crumpled blue suit. It is a visual metaphor for the 2026 World Cup. President Donald Trump largely stayed out of the way—but he was always there, just out of sight, exerting malign influence.

In the case of Spain’s celebration, Trump did exactly what you would expect him to do. After presenting the World Cup trophy with his pal, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, he should have hightailed it out of there so the team could have its moment. But Trump does not let anyone have celebratory moments in his presence without his participation. A year ago, in the very same MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, he inserted himself into Chelsea’s title celebration at the Club World Cup. And so, once again, he awkwardly lingered onstage, even as Infantino tried to pull him off. When Rodri lifted the trophy, Trump was still there. In other photos, you’ll see Infantino patiently explaining to him that he wasn’t supposed to be there. Not like he cares. For Trump, this was his moment and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste—even though he had just been loudly booed by tens of thousands of fans.

Trump was largely out of sight at the final, just as........

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