20.07.2026 10:50
Argentine footballer Cristian Romero drew attention at the World Cup award ceremony by not shaking hands with US President Donald Trump. Romero's attitude sparked debate on social media.
Cristian Romero officially snubbed U.S. President Donald Trump by not shaking his hand during the World Cup award ceremony.
After the final match, where Argentina was virtually swept off the field and lost 1-0 to Spain with a goal by Ferran Torres in extra time, Cristian Romero was among those leaving the pitch disappointed. As he stepped onto the podium with his teammates to receive the runner-up medal, Romero made an unforgettable moment.
The silver medals were presented to the players by FIFA President Gianni Infantino along with the leaders of the host nations: U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. However, immediately after Infantino placed the medal around his neck, the 28-year-old Romero bypassed Trump's extended hand without shaking it and walked past him.
The Argentine defender then shook hands with Canadian Prime Minister Carney, who was last in the protocol order, and appeared to also skip Mexican President Sheinbaum, but at the last moment turned back and shook her hand.
Meanwhile, President Trump seemed not to notice this reaction, as he was busy placing a medal on another of Romero's teammates.
The incident quickly became a trending topic on social media, dividing fans. One user said, "Romero is a total chaos merchant!" while another commented, "Wait a minute, he already got his medal from the other guy and shook his hand. He doesn't seem to be trying to deliberately insult Trump."
Another user said, "I'm not even sure Trump noticed this," while a fourth fan stated, "Romero officially ignored Trump."
A Separate Tension at the Trophy Ceremony
The 80-year-old Trump's duties at the medal ceremony did not end there. The U.S. President was also on stage to present the championship trophy to Spain.
As the Spanish players prepared to lift the trophy, Trump standing right next to the team created quite awkward moments; even FIFA President Infantino stepped in to gently move him away.
However, Romero and his teammates, who had left the pitch in protest during Spain's trophy-raising moment, did not even notice these scenes.