2026 World Cup: Spain’s Advance to the Final Draws the First Jibes at Donald Trump
Spain will play in the 2026 World Cup final following its semifinal victory over France on Tuesday night in Dallas. La Roja’s 2-0 win, however, did not go unnoticed in the U.S., partly for reasons that go beyond soccer. It is no secret that Donald Trump will play a central role in the ceremony to present the World Cup trophy to the winners, nor is it a secret that the U.S. president currently views Spain in a very unfavorable light. This situation has already begun to spark the first waves of sarcasm directed at the White House occupant, particularly from his critics at home.
One of them is Thomas J. Wright, formerly Senior Director for Strategic Planning at the National Security Council (NSC), who, after the game in Dallas, couldn’t resist the temptation to post a comment on X, formerly Twitter. “It’ll be pretty funny if Trump has to hand the World Cup trophy to Spain on Sunday,” he remarked.
Wright also referred to another post, dated July 8, in which Trump spoke during the NATO summit in Ankara, stating: “Spain is a lost cause. By the way, we no longer want to have trade relations with them. I’d like to cut them off. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. Please cut off all trade with Spain. Including visits. We don’t want anything to do with them. They’re beyond redemption. Terrible people.” And in fact, a potential upset by Coach De La Fuente’s team could create some embarrassment on the night of the game at MetLife Stadium in New York. When sports and politics, once again, might cross paths.
The political context surrounding the final on Sunday, July 19, is already fraught with tensions that go far beyond Trump’s statements about Spain. The entire 2026 World Cup bid process has been accompanied by controversies that have directly implicated FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, who was already booed from the stands at AT&T Stadium in Arlington during Tuesday night’s semifinal. The shadow of the Balogun case—the unprecedented reversal of the automatic suspension of the U.S. striker from Monaco, which many observers believe came about following a phone call from Trump to Infantino himself—continues to loom over the tournament. Even Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s predecessor at the helm of FIFA, had used very harsh words: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. If a U.S. president intervenes with the FIFA president, and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match, the question is inevitable: Quo vadis, FIFA?”
This, however, is not the only controversy that has marked the run-up to the semifinal between France and Spain. Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had described France as “a team without French players,” referring to the African origins of many players on Les Bleus, sparking immediate and widespread reactions: French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon called the remarks “clearly racist,” while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez distanced himself with a clear message on X: “Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it, not to those who dishonor it with xenophobic statements.” On the field, Spain itself provided the most eloquent response, dominating with authority.
Against this already heated backdrop, Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New York adds yet another element of spectacle. Laura Pausini has been chosen to perform live and on global television during the closing ceremony, alongside Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, to sing “Desire,” the official FIFA anthem. “What a thrill! Off to New York!” wrote the singer-songwriter from Romagna on her Instagram account, recalling how Robbie Williams had invited her to join him for this song a year ago. The presence of an Italian voice to kick off the match—which could see Spain (the nation Trump called “beyond redemption”) lift the World Cup—adds another layer of excitement to an evening that promises to be historic, both on and off the field.
