The ceremony crowning Spain as the 2026 World Cup champion turned into moments of tension and embarrassment after Rodri, the Spanish national team captain, asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to remove US President Donald Trump from the commemorative champions photo, in an unprecedented move that sparked widespread controversy.

Trump's presence at the commemorative photo session for the title celebration caused some tension and awkward moments, as the Spanish players and coaching staff wanted the photo to focus on them without interference from political figures.

Trump attended Spain's World Cup celebrations and presented the trophy and medals to the Spanish players after their 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, before attempting to appear in the official world champions photo alongside the team.

In a moment not captured on television footage, Rodri, winner of the tournament's Best Player award, approached Infantino asking him to remove the US president so that the photo would focus solely on the Spanish players and coaching staff, a move reflecting the team's desire to keep this historic moment for themselves alone.

Despite this explicit request from the Spanish national team captain, Trump ultimately stayed with the champions for the final photo.

This incident is a new addition to a series of controversial moments that marked the World Cup closing ceremony, following the previous incident where the trophy was presented to Trump in the stands during the match, a departure from official protocol.