Donald Trump has taken a hands-on approach to the World Cup final after being spotted touching the trophy before the end of the game.
The 80-year-old has become the first sitting US president to attend a World Cup final on home soil after heading to MetLife Stadium.
At the 1994 World Cup, the Jules Rimet trophy wasn’t presented by Trump’s predecessor Bill Clinton, with his vice president, Al Gore, instead assuming the responsibility of handing it to Dunga.
However, as first revealed by talkSPORT in June, Trump has been given a licence to join the World Cup winners in their trophy lift.
The 45th and 47th US President caused a stir when he accompanied Chelsea on stage for their Club World Cup triumph last summer.
And fans were similarly unhappy to see Trump get his hands on FIFA’s illustrious prize in the early stages of Spain against Argentina.
The American billionaire was captured by TV cameras sitting alongside his wife Melania and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.
The latter then gave the president the go-ahead to touch the World Cup trophy when it was presented to him by Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
Is Trump allowed to touch the World Cup trophy?
Yes, Trump is part of a select group permitted by FIFA to put their hands on football’s greatest prize.
FIFA permit heads of state and previous tournament winners to touch the trophy, with Trump qualifying under the former category.
The Republican Party leader was previously granted this honour when FIFA president Infantino visited the White House last year.
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If Trump gets his way, then it won’t be the last time he gets the chance to present the World Cup trophy in his lifetime.
In an interview with Fox’s Jenny Taft ahead of the final, he said: “Well, I had an idea for Gianni. So he got it all started and, you know, I brilliantly said, ‘Well, we’ll do it,’ but, you know, you could have a lot of empty stadiums. (It) didn’t work out that way.
“I think I saw 99.9 per cent, and it’s probably wrong because I think they were overflowing, actually. But I had a great idea for Gianni. I said, ‘You have to do two countries.’ So announce us again next time, and announce another country after that; that’ll take out some of the anger and the shock.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” he continued. “But based on the numbers, we will be requesting it again immediately. But I said to take out the shock, you could announce us and maybe then for the next one another, and even another.
“But we have to do this again, and we have to do it while I’m around. You hear that, Gianni?”
Unfortunately for Trump, the next unassigned World Cup is not until 2038 when he would be 92-years old.
