President Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, appeared with his parents at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, shortly before halftime during the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
Barron, 20, stood out in the stadium suite as he towered over his parents at 6 feet, 9 inches. He was seen beside his father in a VIP box that also included several world leaders and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Earlier Sunday, Trump credited Barron with helping him stay informed about the sport as global attention turned to soccer’s biggest stage.
Speaking about some of the greatest players in soccer history, Trump said Barron frequently talks to him about the game and shares his deep knowledge as an avid fan.
‘Messi is great, and Ronaldo is great, and I hate to say this, but I watched Pele when he was with the Cosmos,’ Trump said. ‘I got to see Pelé play. These are great players.
‘There are some others. I get this information from my son, my son, Barron, is a tremendous soccer fan.
‘You really have some other really incredible players playing here but I would say right now, when you look, I have always liked Ronaldo, I’ve always liked Messi.
‘I met Messi just recently and I have known Cristiano. They have a pretty good life – much easier than my life, actually!’
Barron Trump, US President Donald Trump, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York-New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney talks with Barron Trump during the FIFA World Cup final action, in East Rutherford, NJ, on Saturday, July 19, 2026
Trump recently hosted Messi and Inter Miami at the White House to celebrate their 2025 Major League Soccer title.
In his only public appearance at the White House during his father’s second presidential term, Barron was spotted in mid-June at the Freedom 250 UFC fight on the White House lawn.
He also attended Trump’s inauguration at the Capitol in January 2025 and the State of the Union Address in February 2026, towering over tech CEOs and politicians.
Glimpses of the UFC fight night shared in a video by his niece, Kai Trump, 19, appeared to show Barron enjoying himself.
The New York University student was seen greeting attendees during the event, including World Cup pundit and former soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Former soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L) with Barron, Donald, and Melania Trump during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House
Trump meets with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Oval Office on November 18, 2025
Last fall, when soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo paid a visit to the White House, Trump brought up Barron in their public conversation.
Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia’s pro soccer league and for his native Portugal in international competitions. He’s a well-known supporter of the President.
During dinner with Ronaldo and his fiancée, Georgina Rodriguez, Trump proclaimed that Barron was ‘a big fan of Ronaldo’ and said he was glad to introduce his son to the superstar.
A young Barron Trump is seen with his parents during President Trump’s first term in office in 2017
Barron (R) and two of his friends with Wayne Rooney (L) in December 2018
In a 2019 interview with CBS’s ‘Face the Nation,’ the elder Trump said that Barron ‘plays a lot of soccer. He’s liking soccer.’
Football – American football – was too dangerous for him to feel comfortable encouraging his son to play it, Trump said in the same interview.
At a White House Christmas party in 2018, Barron was pictured with English soccer legend Wayne Rooney, then playing for Major League Soccer’s DC United team.
Rooney received a special invitation from the Trumps to attend.
