Trump's remarks about Messi precede Argentina's World Cup final loss
President Donald Trump praised Lionel Messi before the World Cup final, which Argentina lost to Spain, reviving talk of a pattern linking his presence to defeats of teams he supports.
President Donald Trump made comments about Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi in a pre-recorded interview with Fox Sports' Jenny Taft that aired before the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain. Trump said he found it "hard to bet against Messi" and did not endorse either side. He attended the match and presented the tournament trophies, during which he was booed by some spectators. Argentina was defeated 1-0 by Spain.
The incident has prompted renewed speculation about a perceived pattern of teams losing after Trump’s involvement in sporting events. Examples cited include the U.S. men's national soccer team’s 4-1 loss to Belgium after Trump asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review a red-card decision, the New York Knicks’ sole loss in the 2026 NBA Finals while Trump was present, a Washington Commanders defeat to the Detroit Lions in a game Trump attended, and the U.S. team's loss in the 2025 Ryder Cup after Trump’s appearance.
"I thought about it a lot. I knew that was a question. I hate to get involved, even though politically, it doesn't matter so much," Trump said in the interview.
Analysts note that the correlation between Trump’s attendance and subsequent defeats is anecdotal and not supported by systematic evidence.