Argentina defender "Coty" Romero ignored US President Donald Trump's handshake when the latter handed over silver medals after losing to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday.
The footage showed Tottenham defender Romero shaking hands with FIFA president Giannini Infantino and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, but he ignored Trump.
Facebook sites and activists questioned why Romero, 28, ignored the US president, and whether his action stemmed from a political position.
Spanish players ignore Trump
A number of Spanish players made do with a quick greeting to the U.S. president during the coronation, while others tried to avoid looking directly at Trump, in a shot that sparked a wave of comments on social media.
One of the most prominent faces of the moment was Borja Iglesias, who had already sparked controversy before the match when he spoke openly about the possibility of shaking hands with Trump, saying, "I don't want to end up in jail... I hope to salute him quickly and then forget about it," he said, stressing that he does not want to stir up controversy, in light of his public positions in support of the Palestinian people and his condemnation of the war on Gaza.
Camera lenses captured the Spanish attacker passing quickly in front of Trump, where he extended his hand for a quick and forceful handshake without looking at the US president's face or turning to him.
Despite Trump's attempts to talk to him and address him with some words during the medal handover, Iglesias continued on his way, completely ignoring his speech, and directing his gaze and body towards the podium to celebrate with his colleagues, in a shot that sparked widespread controversy on social media platforms.
Activists also circulated clips showing Amin Yamal trying, according to them, to avoid shaking hands with Trump, especially since the player had raised the Palestinian flag on an occasion earlier this year to express his position. There has been no official comment from the players so far about the controversy sparked by these footage.