A fresh controversy has erupted following Spain’s World Cup triumph after FIFA and the Spanish national team appeared to edit U.S. President Donald Trump out of several official images from the trophy presentation ceremony.

The drama unfolded shortly after Spain defeated Lionel Messi’s Argentina in a thrilling World Cup final, with Trump taking part in the post-match presentation. The U.S. president handed out medals and presented the coveted World Cup trophy before remaining on the podium as the Spanish players celebrated their historic victory.

As Spain’s stars lifted the trophy, cameras captured Trump standing among the jubilant champions, creating one of the most talked-about moments of the night. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was later seen guiding Trump away from the center of the celebration, allowing the players to enjoy their moment in the spotlight.

However, what happened next sparked widespread discussion online.

Official images released by Spain after the victory showed the trophy-lift celebration without Trump. FIFA also reportedly published cropped photographs of the same moment, removing both Trump and Infantino from the frame, according to reports by The Mirror US.

The edited images quickly attracted attention across social media, with many users questioning why the U.S. president was absent from photographs despite being clearly visible during the live broadcast.

The White House did not take long to respond.

In a swift reaction, it released several photographs highlighting Trump’s presence during the celebrations, including two images focused entirely on the president. An Instagram video was also shared, showing Trump celebrating alongside Spain’s players moments after they secured football’s biggest prize.

The incident marked the second consecutive year Trump had been involved in presenting a major football trophy at the same stadium. Twelve months earlier, he had handed Chelsea the FIFA Club World Cup trophy following their victory.

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His extended stay on the podium became a talking point among commentators and broadcasters covering the event. Spectators could also be heard booing as Trump entered the field ahead of the presentation ceremony, although the reaction did little to overshadow the celebrations.

Interestingly, several Spanish players appeared relaxed and entertained by the president’s presence. Some were even seen performing the popular “Trump dance” while standing alongside him during the post-match festivities.

Speaking after the final, Trump congratulated the new world champions and praised the quality of the match.

“They both played well. I would say Spain played better. It was very exciting. It looked like Spain dominated, but it was a very close match,” he said.

The president also described the tournament as one of the world’s premier sporting spectacles, applauding its global appeal and the large number of visitors it attracted.

“The World Cup is one of the greatest events of any kind. We are really happy it did so well. People have come from all over the world and loved our country. We have showed our country in a different light and it was a great thing,” Trump added.

While Spain may have lifted football’s most coveted trophy, the post-match debate shifted from what happened on the pitch to what appeared — or did not appear — in the official photographs, leaving social media users joking that the tournament’s biggest disappearing act came after the final whistle.