On July 18th, Beijing time, US President Trump hosted a reception at the White House to welcome FIFA President Gianni Infantino and representatives from the football world. In their remarks, both sides highly praised the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, noting that it has broken historical records in terms of audience numbers, global viewership, and socio-cultural impact. They also expressed their anticipation for the upcoming third-place match between England and France, and the epic clash between Argentina and Spain. The following is the first part of Trump's speech at the reception.
Full text of Trump's speech
“I want to thank Gianni (Infantino). This guy came to me with this crazy idea back then. I said, ‘Are you crazy? We’re not a soccer nation.’ But it turns out we are now a soccer nation. And I think that thanks to everything he did, and the ideas he and many of the friends I meet today, soccer will thrive here.”
"Those friends played a crucial role in the decision to bid for the Games back then. I want to thank our great FIFA President Gianni Infantino, no one can do it like him, in fact, there are very few people like him. I also want to thank the entire FIFA team, thank you for your incredible work. I met many of you and finally understand why you have achieved so much, it is because of the dedication and commitment shown by everyone in this room."
"The acoustics in this beautiful room are excellent because in a few minutes you will hear a great opera singer. That's why I said that Pavarotti sang here many years ago, right in that corner. He said something to me that I will never forget, because sometimes acoustics, like luck and talent, are innate. He said, 'This is the best space.' He recorded albums and songs here. The person you're going to hear in a few minutes is also very good."
“I once asked this fellow Italian, Christopher, ‘Are you as good as Pavarotti?’ I don’t know, having an Italian name seems to be a huge advantage in this industry, right? If his name was Christopher Smith, it probably wouldn’t have been so effective (laughs). I asked him if he was as good as Pavarotti, and he said, ‘No, no, no, he’s a master, the greatest of all time, no one can compare.’ When you hear him sing later, you’ll understand that he’s just as good. If it were me, I would definitely say, ‘No, no, I’m better than Pavarotti,’ which is why I’m sitting here instead of singing there (laughs). But what you’re about to hear is indeed a brilliant, universally acknowledged genius.”
"This World Cup is perhaps the most successful sporting event in world history; it's incredible. So I want to congratulate everyone here, because you all love this sport. In American English, the word 'football' can be confusing, because we have the great Bob Clifton (owner of the New England Patriots) sitting here. He's won six Super Bowls. Six Super Bowls, that's no small feat. Bob, please stand up and let everyone know. (Applause) He also owns a soccer team, which is great, although that team hasn't achieved as much success as his American football team. You agree, Bob? It's a little less, but you don't mind, and everyone in this country accepts that. Congratulations, Bob. It's great to have you here; he's been a friend of mine for many years."
"Back in 2018, eight years ago, I had the privilege of helping North America win the right to host the World Cup, and I never imagined it would grow to this scale. Giannis said back then that it was bound to happen. But fate is fickle, and I'm still the president. I thought I shouldn't be here now; the polls and everyone else were pointing to me for a full eight years (plus the previous term), but that election was rigged. But what did I get in return? I got the World Cup, I got the Olympics, and I brought them here."
"I tried to take all the credit for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, but it didn't go so smoothly (laughs). But I did win the Olympics, and we also have this World Cup. Infantino said it might be even bigger than the Olympics. Tell me, is it bigger than the Olympics? (Infantino replied: 'Much bigger.') Okay, I'll listen to him. I trust his judgment. I had a feeling he would say that."
“Janni, I would also like to thank FIFA Secretary General Matthias Grafström, as well as all the FIFA Vice Presidents, Council members, presidents and secretaries general of member associations, and the heads of state present here. Of course, in this special period, being a head of state may not be as easy as being your football association president, but you have all done a remarkable job. In fact, several heads of state are sitting in the back row today, can you believe it? They might have some opinions about you (laughs).”
"There are many famous legendary players and All-Stars here tonight. As someone who knows sports, I recognize them all. My children love football. My youngest son, Baron—that very tall boy—loves football and is a good player. I don't know how fast he is, after all, he's so tall. I once asked him, 'Baron, what happens if a player from Spain, Argentina, France, or England gets past you?' He said, 'Dad, my ball control is very good.' I said, 'But what if he's faster than you?' He said, 'Dad, he'll never get past me.' But he didn't want to answer the question about speed directly. So, speed is still very important in this sport, right? (Infantino responded: 'Yes.') But he does have good technique."
“Janni and everyone here has shaped this sport and taken it to unprecedented heights. Melania’s father, Victor, is also here today. He’s a wonderful father-in-law, a fantastic man. He said he played football when he was young, and although he didn’t make it to the major leagues, he was an excellent athlete. Victor, stand up and let everyone see you. A former footballer. (Applause) Thank you, Victor. He’ll be there on Sunday, Melania will be there, everyone will be there. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be there? If we had 10 million more tickets, they would have sold out just as well. Tickets for this game have been snapped up long ago; no one has ever seen anything like it.”
"Tonight, we've all gathered in New York to await the ultimate showdown between two exceptional teams, Argentina and Spain, on Sunday. I watched Messi's pass. While I may not be as knowledgeable as some of you here, I understand sports, and I know a little about football. I saw Messi was tightly marked, right? Very tightly. But suddenly, he moved to the right. Do you know what I mean? I don't know if others noticed, but I did. Faced with the relentless pressure of a great defender, he slipped to the right, leaving the defender frozen in place. Messi had ample time to shoot, and that shot was absolutely brilliant, perhaps only a quarter of an inch off target, and that sealed the victory."
"That's fantastic. These great players always manage to do this, they're born with some special talent. I know Cristiano Ronaldo is one of them, I've gotten to know him over the years, he's a great guy. England also has a great player, I've even played golf with him, you know, Harry (Kane), he's always been fantastic. But I think putting him in a defensive position might be a mistake. Of course, what do I know about tactics? (Laughter) Putting the league's top player in defense, sometimes we still have to play a bit more offensively, right? But I'm not going to give coaching advice, it's just a bit unusual. Harry is a very good guy."
