Trump hands out medals to World Cup champion Spain, crashes La Roja’s trophy lift photo

Somebody hand Gianni Infantino a stopwatch, because at this point FIFA finals aren't complete until Trump walks onto the pitch. Handing out medals to a championship team you had nothing to do with, then wedging yourself into the trophy photo, is the kind of move that would get any other head of state mocked mercilessly. Trump does it and it becomes a moment. That's not an accident. It's a skill, whether you like it or not.

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in a final that deserved to be remembered for the soccer, not for who was standing where when the trophy went up. La Roja earned that photo. Every player on that pitch worked years for thirty seconds of pure, uncomplicated joy, and instead the headline out of the night is about the American president crashing the frame. That's a little unfair to the team that actually won.

Still, there's something almost refreshing about a president who wants to be seen enjoying the biggest event on the planet instead of pretending sports are beneath him. Previous administrations treated these moments like optional photo-ops to be handled by a deputy. Trump treats the World Cup like it matters, because to most of the planet, it does. Global spectacle, global stage, and he shows up for it instead of sending a statement.

The instinct to be everywhere the cameras are isn't new and it isn't subtle. But love him or roll your eyes at him, at least he's not hiding from the room.