"He is a great player. He was wearing essentially a 'Make America Great Again' cap, so it was a nice tribute. And I think he meant that very nicely, we appreciate it." That's Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Friday, publicly claiming Ferran Torres as some kind of MAGA ally — based entirely on a hat.
Whether Torres intended it that way is another matter entirely. The Barcelona forward hasn't released a single statement about the cap since the photo went viral. He wore it during Spain's victory parade through Madrid, the day after scoring the extra-time winner in a 1-0 World Cup final victory over Argentina, and then let the internet do the rest. The White House posted a video of him on X with the caption "Everyone wants in on the movement." Torres said nothing.
The cap itself — "Make Spain Great Again" in bold white lettering, design near-identical to the MAGA original — could read as genuine admiration or a well-executed piece of irony. Torres' silence makes it impossible to say which. That ambiguity suits him fine. It clearly doesn't suit Trump, who has filled the vacuum with his own interpretation.
The tournament that wasn't just about football
The 2026 World Cup was always going to be politically charged on American soil, but Trump's intervention over Folarin Balogun's red card suspension turned it into something else. After Balogun was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Trump made three direct calls to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, publicly called the decision "terrible," and pushed for a review. FIFA's Disciplinary Committee used Article 27 of its code to put the ban on probation, letting Balogun play against Belgium and fining U.S. Soccer instead.
UEFA called it a breach of a red line. Norway filed formal ethics complaints with both FIFA and the IOC. The global backlash was immediate and fierce. And none of it saved the U.S. — Belgium knocked them out 4-1 in the Round of 16 anyway.
Trump was still at the final in the end, photographed placing the winners' medal around Torres' neck after the final whistle. Spain's second World Cup title, following 2010, built directly on their Euro 2024 win and Olympic gold in Paris. La Roja are not just a good team right now — they are the dominant force in world football, and Torres is their latest match-winner on the biggest stage.
He just won a World Cup. Trump claimed the hat. Torres still hasn't said a word.
