The World Cup final at MetLife Stadium saw Spain take home the trophy, beating Argentina 1-0 in a hard-fought match. But for Argentina’s Cristian Romero, the sting of defeat wasn’t the only thing that made headlines during the medal ceremony. After receiving his second-place medal from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Romero shook Infantino’s hand, then just kept on moving, skipping right past President Donald Trump in the receiving line.
The Medal Ceremony Moment That Had Everyone Double-Taking
Romero’s path down the line was a blur of emotion after his team’s crushing loss. He shook hands with Infantino, sure. But then, as he approached President Trump, he simply bypassed him. What makes this even wilder is what happened next. Romero actually initially skipped past Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who was standing after Trump in the line, and went straight for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Here’s where it gets interesting: Sheinbaum is about nine inches shorter than Romero, and it looked like he didn’t spot her at first. But when he did, he turned right back to shake her hand. He did not do that for Trump.
It’s not like the whole thing was crystal clear. Maybe Romero was sending a political message. Maybe it was just an unintentional move in a fast-moving line during an emotional moment for a guy who just lost the biggest game of his life. Even Trump was turned slightly away, focused on getting a medal for the next player. So yeah, it’s possible Romero just kept moving. But here’s the kicker: he appears to be the *only* player who didn’t shake Trump’s hand that day.
Another Awkward Moment For The President After The Trophy Lift
The “snub” wasn’t the only moment that caught eyes at MetLife. A few minutes later, after presenting the trophy to the winning Spanish team, President Trump stood with the players, right there at the start of their big celebration. He stayed there for a bit, soaking in the moment, until FIFA President Gianni Infantino came back and actually helped him off the stage.
Look, you don’t expect drama off the field at a medal ceremony, but Sunday’s World Cup final delivered it. Between Romero’s clear choice not to engage with Trump and the President needing an assist off the stage during Spain’s party, it was a day that’ll be remembered for more than just the 1-0 scoreline. What a way to wrap up a global tournament.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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