Argentina defenders Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero notably skipped a handshake with United States President Donald Trump during the World Cup final medal ceremony at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday. The snub came after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal.
Medal Ceremony Snub
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had arranged for Trump to take centre stage during the ceremony, with the US President also tasked with handing the World Cup trophy to Spain captain Rodri. However, during Argentina's silver medal ceremony, Martinez opted not to shake hands with either Infantino or Trump, who personally gave the Manchester United centre-back his medal.
Romero, the Tottenham defender, shook hands with Infantino when receiving his medal but walked straight past Trump. He instead shook hands with Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney. Video footage of the incident was shared on social media by user @Agitacion_, showing the two Argentine players avoiding Trump.
Scaloni in Tears After Defeat
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni, who led the team to victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and two Copa America titles, broke down in tears during his post-match press conference. When asked about his future with the national team, Scaloni said: "I feel the need to think because I don't know if I'm going to be able to do something as big as this. We would have to talk about it. My place is everyone's dream place. We tried until the very last moment to give our all as a coaching staff, the players too, and I think it's only fair to consider it. This place is wonderful."
He added: "I never imagined I'd be here. To move forward, a lot of things are needed. Above all, we need to reset, to form a group like this, which is unlikely to ever be formed again. It breaks my heart. I'm sorry."
Messi's Likely Final World Cup
Lionel Messi, 39, was also seen in tears as Spain's players celebrated with the trophy. The match is expected to be Messi's last World Cup appearance for Argentina. Scaloni paid tribute to the star: "He is 39 years old, it is unbelievable. It was always crystal clear to me that he would play until he chose to stop and that everyone would support him. I hope everyone is proud of him, because he is the best football player ever to set foot on a pitch."
The defeat sparked criticism from Argentine media, with several players receiving low ratings for their performances in the final.
