Spain forward Ferran Torres mocked Donald Trump during his team's World Cup victory parade on Monday, wearing a red hat that parodied Trump's signature "Make America Great Again" caps. The hat read "Make Spain Great Again" as Torres celebrated Spain's historic triumph over Argentina.
Torres Scores Winner, Then Parodies Trump
Torres scored the only goal of the World Cup final, firing into the roof of the net in extra time to secure Spain's second star. Spain dominated the match, with Argentina failing to register a single shot until the 116th minute. The victory sparked massive celebrations in Madrid, with thousands of fans lining the streets for an open-top bus parade.
During the festivities, Torres appeared to parody Trump with his choice of headwear. The red hat closely resembled the caps popularized by Trump supporters, but the message on the front read "Make Spain Great Again" instead of "Make America Great Again."
Trump at the Final, Snubbed by Spain
Trump was in attendance at the World Cup final and was tasked with handing out medals and helping present the trophy. He remained on stage alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino as Spain celebrated their triumph, but the Spanish team later made it clear they did not want him in their victory photos.
The official account for Spain's national football league shared a doctored image on Instagram, with Trump edited out of the shot. Similarly, the official World Cup account cropped Trump out, leaving only his shoulder visible.
Trump's Controversial World Cup Involvement
Trump sparked criticism throughout the tournament for his repeated attempts to involve himself. He spearheaded the United States' hosting bid in 2017 and was instrumental in pushing it over the line. At the draw for the group stages, he was awarded the newly created FIFA Peace Prize, a move that led to widespread bewilderment from the football community.
During the tournament, Trump reportedly lobbied FIFA to suspend the red card shown to USMNT striker Folarin Balogun ahead of their knockout stage clash against Belgium. The move was viewed by many as a desperate effort to leverage his political and financial power to give the hosts an advantage. Balogun ended up playing against Belgium but was unable to save the USA from an embarrassing 4-1 defeat.
Before the final had even kicked off, Trump was already proposing another bid to host the World Cup, sending a public nudge to Infantino. He said, "I had a great idea for Gianni. You have to do two countries. Announce us again next time, and then announce another country after that. It'll take out some of the anger and the shock. Based on the numbers, we will be requesting it again immediately."
