After Calling Spain a 'Lost Cause,' Trump Finally Comes Face-to-Face With PM Pedro Sanchez at World Cup Final

Spain triumphed over Argentina 1-0, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal during extra time.

US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez briefly came face to face at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday, following nearly two years of public disagreements over NATO’s defence spending and US foreign policy. The two leaders were seated in the VIP section at MetLife Stadium, where Spain faced Argentina. Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Princesses Leonor and Sofía also attended the match.

This comes after months of strained relations between Washington and Madrid, largely centred on NATO defence spending. Ties have eased in recent weeks after Trump said Spain had “fully redeemed itself” by agreeing to significantly increase its defence commitments at last month’s NATO summit in Ankara.

The remarks marked a notable shift from comments Trump made during the summit, when he described Spain as a “lost cause” and threatened trade retaliation. After returning to Washington, however, he adopted a more conciliatory tone.

Sanchez has maintained that Spain has “more than fulfilled its obligations” by significantly increasing defence spending.

(From Left) Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez watch the World Cup final match.

Hours before the meeting, the Spanish prime minister congratulated the United States on its 250th anniversary during an interview with Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE.

Asked whether Trump would present the World Cup trophy to the winners, Sanchez declined to speculate, saying: “What matters to me is not who presents it, but who receives it.”

Argentina’s President Javier Milei did not attend the match, having said earlier in the week that he would not travel because of a superstition.

Speaking to Fox News before kick-off, Trump described Milei as a “friend” and backed Argentina, saying: “It’s hard to bet against Messi.”

Despite the more cordial tone, defence spending remains the principal point of disagreement between the two governments.

Spain has yet to commit to NATO’s target of spending 5% of GDP on defence, a goal strongly backed by Washington. Sanchez has described the target as “unreasonable and counterproductive”.

The two countries have also differed over the war in Gaza, with Spain describing Israel’s military campaign as a genocide — a characterisation rejected by the United States.

Relations were further tested after the conflict between the United States and Iran, when Madrid invoked its bilateral defence agreement with Washington to prohibit the use of the US military bases at Rota and Morón for operations linked to the conflict.

Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Argentina 1-0 following extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Substitute Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the final in the 106th minute, firing a left-footed shot beneath the crossbar after reacting first to a loose ball inside the penalty area.

The goal secured Spain’s victory after a tightly contested match in which they dominated possession and chances but were unable to break the deadlock during the 90 minutes of normal time.

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