As Spain’s players tried to savor their World Cup triumph, Donald Trump remained planted in the center of the trophy shot, forcing FIFA president Gianni Infantino into the role of reluctant handler. According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, Infantino repeatedly urged, “Don, come stand this side with me… Don, this way. Come on. We gotta go,” before finally stressing, “This is for them. We’ve given them the trophy, let’s go.”

Trump only shifted after the glitter cannons had already exploded, securing his presence in the now-viral celebration footage. FIFA’s official photo, however, quietly deleted him, cropping Trump out entirely in what many saw as a deliberate correction. Analysts argued his lingering was intentional, a calculated bid to stay in the “iconic” image. On the pitch, Spain laughed it off. Online, it became something else: a perfectly predictable Trump moment on football’s biggest stage.