US President Donald Trump has waded into the row over the cap worn by Spain star Ferran Torres during celebrations of the country's 2026 World Cup triumph, hailing it as a "beautiful tribute" to the MAGA movement and dismissing any suggestion it was aimed at mocking him.
Torres scored the goal that beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the World Cup final. During the celebrations in Madrid, he turned up wearing a cap emblazoned with the words "Make Spain Great Again", a clear nod to Trump's famous slogan "Make America Great Again".
The cap set off a fierce debate in Spain. Some read it as a political statement or an endorsement of the right, while others saw nothing more than a joke poking fun at Trump's eye-catching appearance during the World Cup trophy presentation.
Torres, currently on holiday, has said nothing to explain why he wore it. That silence has left the door wide open to competing interpretations on both sides of the Atlantic.
Read also:
"Damn Spain": Ferran Torres mural vandalised
Political division in Spain
What started as a debate quickly became a political battleground. Spanish right-wing party Vox had used a similar slogan before the World Cup kicked off, and figures on the right leapt to defend the Barcelona forward, drawing sharp criticism from parties and figures on the left.
MP Carina Mejías hit back at those attacking Torres: "Envy has always been the fuel of small minds. While some are busy criticising, Ferran Torres responds in the most important place... on the pitch."
Trump: everyone wants to join the movement
The affair reached the White House. Its official account on X posted a comment reading: "Everyone wants to be part of the movement", a reference to the MAGA slogan.
Pressed on the controversy during a press conference in Washington, Trump gave his verdict, as reported by France's RMC network: "He's a great player. He wore a (Make America Great Again) cap. It was a great gesture, and I think he did it in good faith. We appreciate that."
That settled it. Trump saw no insult, no mockery, only a positive nod to his most famous political slogan.