United States President Donald Trump has publicly praised Spanish footballer Ferran Torres, labeling him a “great player” following the forward's gesture during Spain’s FIFA World Cup trophy parade. During the celebratory event, Torres wore a cap featuring the words “Make Spain Great Again,” a slogan that closely mirrors the “Make America Great Again” branding associated with the U.S. president.
Reflecting on the viral footage, President Trump spoke to reporters on Friday, stating, “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.” The White House also officially endorsed the gesture, reposting a video of the player with the caption, “Everyone wants in on the movement.”
Torres played a pivotal role in Spain's success at the New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute to secure a victory against Argentina and claim the country's second FIFA World Cup title. President Trump, who attended the final, participated in the medal ceremony alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino and helped present the trophy to Spain captain Rodri.
Spain head coach Luis De la Fuente expressed his pride in the 26-year-old forward, noting that the goal served as an answer to those who had criticized him. “I try to be fair when I see malicious criticism; life gives you opportunities later, which is why I'm especially happy for Ferran,” De la Fuente told Diario AS. The coach compared Torres's journey to that of Alvaro Morata, highlighting the player's resilience. Torres, who entered the final match as a 58th-minute substitute for Mikel Oyarzabal, has now reached 65 senior appearances for Spain since his 2020 debut.
president, who made glowing remarks about the Barcelona forward and described his action as a “nice tribute”.
Faced with injustice, he said: ‘Here I am’.“When Ferran scored, I felt something close to pure happiness; and when I lifted the cup, I felt content, satisfied, and proud.
