Did he mean it? Cristian Romero appears to look straight past Donald Trump in viral World Cup medal handshake

Argentina's campaign to retain their global crown ended in devastating heartbreak following a narrow 1-0 defeat against Spain. During the post-match ceremony, viral footage captured Tottenham defender Romero shaking hands with Gianni Infantino and Claudia Sheinbaum on either side of Trump. Instead of acknowledging the American leader, the defender looked straight ahead and walked past without making any eye or physical contact.

Despite an underwhelming defensive display before being replaced by Facundo Medina in the 70th minute, Romero's podium actions became the main talking point and ignited fierce public debate. Widely circulated clips across digital platforms captured the awkward exchange clearly from multiple camera angles. Social media users and football pundits remain deeply divided between those convinced it was a deliberate political statement and others viewing it as an accidental oversight.

The handshake incident capped off a thoroughly embarrassing evening for Trump, whose presence drew fierce hostility from tens of thousands of fans inside the stadium. From the moment his image appeared on the giant screens before kick-off to his walk to the pitch, a chorus of boos and jeers echoed from both sets of supporters.

Matters grew more uncomfortable post-match when Trump refused to leave the podium, forcing Infantino to try and guide him away to avoid overshadowing Spain's celebrations.

Romero must now quickly shift his focus from this international controversy as he prepares for a well-deserved post-tournament holiday. Following a painful final defeat and intense global media scrutiny, the defender will have time to reset before reporting back to north London ahead of a demanding domestic campaign. Club management will be eager to ensure their centre-back returns completely unfazed by these non-football narratives just in time for the start of the new Premier League season.