The leaders of Spain and the United States faced each other at the 2026 World Cup Final in New Jersey, marking a significant encounter after nearly two years of public tensions. The two nations have clashed over various issues, including NATO defense spending and U.S. policies in the Middle East.
U.S. President Trump watched the Spain vs. Argentina match from a VIP suite alongside several international leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, with whom he has recently had strained relations. Sánchez’s attendance was uncertain until the last days, but he decided to travel to the U.S. after receiving an official invitation from FIFA.
The two leaders greeted each other cordially in a bulletproof glass-protected box. According to the Spanish publication El País, this meeting represented a fragile step towards reconciliation, following discussions earlier this month at a summit in Ankara.
Political Divergences in the VIP Suite
Also present in the official suite were Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, both of whom have faced challenges in their relations with the Trump administration over U.S. trade policies.
Notably, King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia were there, openly supporting the Spanish national team. Despite numerous disputes between the U.S. and Spanish leaders, the most significant tensions arose over Spain’s refusal to increase its military spending to 5% of GDP, a target discussed at last year’s NATO summit.
Sánchez had warned at that time that he would not meet this target, believing Spain could fulfill its obligations with fewer resources. Tensions peaked when Sánchez refused to allow U.S. military aircraft to use Spanish bases for operations in Iran, prompting Trump to repeatedly criticize Spain as a “terrible ally.”
From “Lost Cause” to Reconciliation
In recent weeks, however, it appears that Trump has softened his tone towards Sánchez. The U.S. President recently stated that Spain “has fully redeemed its mistakes” by accepting a substantial increase in NATO defense commitments during the summit in Ankara last month.
This shift contrasts sharply with Trump’s earlier remarks during the summit, where he referred to Spain as a “lost cause” and threatened trade retaliation. Upon returning to Washington, the U.S. leader adopted a noticeably more conciliatory tone.
Spain’s Victory: A Symbolic Revenge
Spain’s victory on American soil is seen by Politico as a symbolic revenge against Trump, who has harshly criticized Spain and the Madrid government. The U.S. President, who in March labeled the country as a “failed” state and its people as “bad people,” was compelled to celebrate Spain’s triumph at a World Cup he had tried to associate with his image.
Trump presented the trophy to captain Rodri in front of Sánchez, King Felipe VI, and an audience of over one billion people worldwide. However, the Argentine President Javier Milei, who had stated he would not attend the match due to a superstition, was notably absent from the VIP suite.
Trump Ignores Protocol
Among those present was FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who seemed to cater to all of Trump’s whims. Before the match, the World Cup trophy was brought into the official suite, where Trump struck it several times, disregarding the traditional protocol that permits only champions to touch the trophy.
During the match, the American president appeared bored and was even seen dozing off at times. At the awards ceremony, Trump attempted to join the Spanish team in their group photo as they prepared to celebrate their World Cup championship with the trophy.
