English Premier League
Trump praises Ferran Torres over Make Spain Great Again cap amid World Cup row
Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions that Ferran Torres was mocking him by wearing a “Make Spain Great Again” cap during Spain’s 2026 World Cup title celebrations, describing it instead as a “beautiful tribute” to his MAGA movement.
Torres, who scored the extra-time winner in Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup final, appeared at the trophy parade in Madrid wearing a cap emblazoned with the slogan “Make Spain Great Again” – a clear nod to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” catchphrase.
The image of the Spain forward in the cap quickly went viral and triggered a heated debate in Spain, with opinion sharply divided over whether the gesture was a political statement, an expression of support for the right, or simply a joke referencing Trump’s prominent role in the World Cup trophy presentation.
Torres, currently on holiday, has not issued any statement to clarify why he chose to wear the cap, leaving the field open to competing interpretations on both sides of the Atlantic.
Political storm in Spain
The controversy soon spilled into Spanish domestic politics. The right-wing party Vox had already used a similar slogan in the build-up to the World Cup, and figures from the right moved swiftly to defend the Barcelona player after criticism from opponents.
Carina Mejias, an MP, responded to attacks on Torres by saying: “الغيرة كانت دايما وقود اصحاب العقول الصغيرة. بينما ينشغل البعض بالانتقاد، يرد فيران توريس في المكان الاهم… داخل الملعب”.
The row also coincided with vandalism of a Ferran Torres mural, with graffiti reading “اللعنة على اسبانيا” sprayed over it, further underlining how the incident had become entangled with broader political and social tensions.
Critics from parties and public figures associated with the left accused the player of sending an inappropriate political message at a moment of national celebration, while supporters insisted the move was light-hearted or purely symbolic.
White House reaction and Trump’s stance
The saga escalated beyond Spain when the official White House account on social media platform X weighed in, posting: “الجميع يريد ان يكون جزءا من الحركة” – a reference to the MAGA slogan and the apparent echo of it on Torres’ cap.
Trump was later asked directly about the incident during a press conference in Washington. According to French outlet RMC, the former US president responded: “انه لاعب رايع. لقد ارتدى قبعة (لنجعل امريكا عظيمة مجددا). كانت لفتة رايعة، واعتقد انه فعل ذلك بحسن نية. نحن نقدر ذلك”.
With those remarks, Trump made clear he did not view Torres’ choice of headwear as satire or an insult. Instead, he framed it as a positive expression linked to his best-known political branding and suggested the player had acted “in good faith”.
The lack of clarification from Torres himself means the original intention behind the “Make Spain Great Again” cap remains unresolved. But Trump’s endorsement has added a fresh layer to a dispute that has moved rapidly from a dressing-room celebration in Madrid to the heart of political debate in both Spain and the United States.
