The 2026 World Cup final is upon us, with Spain and Argentina looking to get their hands on the iconic trophy, which will almost certainly be handed to the winners by Donald Trump.

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino already revealed the plan for the President of the United States of America to attend the match at MetLife Stadium. Trump, while publicly speaking about world football’s biggest competition, has been surprisingly absent from all 103 matches to date.

But he is expected to be present for Spain vs Argentina and even hand the trophy to the winning team, like he did when Chelsea won the Club World Cup last summer. That means each player will likely need to shake hands with the President, whether collecting a gold or silver medal.

Spain Star Wants to ‘Forget’ Trump Handshake Quickly

REUTERS/Lee Smith

One man who has made it clear that he’d rather not shake Trump’s hand is Spain forward Borja Iglesias. However, the striker has stated that he’ll be civil as he doesn’t want to cause a scene.

Explaining his decision to remain on the American leader’s good side, he told a local magazine (via The Sun): “I don’t want to go to prison, I hope to greet him at a time when we are all very happy, and that it passes very quickly and I can forget about it.”

Iglesias has never been shy when it comes to voicing his political opinion or standing up for a cause he believes in. However, the Celta Vigo star would rather avoid controversy. He continued:

Borja Iglesias Doesn’t Shy Away From Political Matters

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Vincent Carchietta

In the past, Iglesias has spoken out about matters such as homophobia and backed pro-Palestine protesters. The Spain ace also painted his nails black in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

He also made his feelings very clear about the incident which saw Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, convicted of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.

Iglesias even refused to play for his country while Rubiales was still president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. So he’s not afraid of sticking up for causes he believes in, but the Spanish footballer will put his apparent differences with Trump aside on Sunday night.

Tottenham are now showing interest in a World Cup winger as they turn their attention to strengthening at the top end of the pitch. Spurs have spent much of the summer strengthening the defence and midfield, with a number of top options snapped up, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Robert De Zerbi will be delighted with the new options he has, with his squad having clearly been upgraded, but there is more work still to do. Some players will likely leave, including Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario, but there will also be more new signings, with a new winger appearing to be the main priority.

Tottenham now considering World Cup winger Schjelderup

Tottenham are now said to be considering a deal to sign Norway winger Andreas Schjelderup, who impressed at the World Cup despite having been a toss-up in terms of his selection for the Norway World Cup squad. The winger notably scored against England in the quarter-final.

Shjelderup landed a move to Benfica back in 2023 and went on to land a starting role in 2024 after a loan spell back at his old club in Norway. The winger scored seven and assisted six in 28 league appearances last season, playing an important role in José Mourinho’s Benfica, who didn’t lose all season in the league, though they fell short of the league title.

Tottenham are now said to be interested in the 22-year-old, with journalist Pete O’Rourke reporting on the Transfer Insider podcast: “Schjelderup’s World Cup performances have caught the eye of some of the biggest clubs across Europe, including multiple Premier League clubs.

“I know Tottenham have shown an interest and are in the market for a new left-sided winger or forward, so Schjelderup definitely ticks a lot of boxes for them in that respect, as that is where he plays for Norway and Benfica. He had a very good World Cup.”

Mourinho convinced by Schjelderup

Early in Mourinho’s Benfica spell, he was critical of Schjelderup, who was struggling to live up to the intensity. He said: “Schjelderup is Schjelderup – he struggles for 90 minutes, he struggles with intensity and the sacrifice of transitions,”

Towards the end of this season, Mourinho sang a very different tune. He said: “Look, I spoke to him yesterday or the day before and said that he had a lot of reasons to be very proud of himself.

“Comparing the Schjelderup of months ago with the Schjelderup of today is impossible. There’s no point of comparison, the only thing that’s the same is that boyish face… He’s still unshaven, his face is the same, that baby face is the same. Neither from a physical point of view, nor from a tactical point of view, nor from a mental point of view, there’s nothing comparable. I’d say that this kid, if he continues to develop in this way, will surely be a real talent and I’d say a great, great, great talent.”

England ultimately fell short of the goal to bring football home during the 2026 World Cup, but Thomas Tuchel’s side proved there are many reasons to be positive for the future.

The German coach has been heavily criticised for his role in the Three Lions’ semi-final defeat against Argentina, in the country’s biggest game since 2018. But Tuchel reportedly retains the backing of the FA, having penned a new contract until Euro 2028.

But what will his starting XI look like at the United Kingdom-hosted tournament if England qualify? Well, ChatGPT has predicted exactly that. There are some huge shocks, as well as some regulars retaining their place in the XI.

Goalkeeper and Defenders

The predicted backline is almost completely different to Tuchel’s back five at this summer’s World Cup. Jordan Pickford is expected to finally give up the No.1 jersey for Manchester City shot-stopper James Trafford.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United full-backs Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall make the AI’s team. The young duo could have easily been part of the World Cup XI after impressing ever since moving to St. James’ Park.

Marc Guehi is the only man to keep his place in the back four, with the Man City centre-back partnering Chelsea’s Levi Colwill. Had injuries not plagued the latter, this could’ve already been cemented as Tuchel’s preferred partnership.

Midfielders

Paul Childs via Reuters

It will take something incredible to dislodge both Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham from the Three Lions line-up. ChatGPT expects both men to continue in their current roles after impressing on the international stage.

Bellingham was England’s top scorer at the 2026 World Cup and will be in his prime by the time Euro 2028 comes around. Meanwhile, Rice could well be the captain of his country by that time. Especially with a notable absentee in other areas.

Elliot Anderson claimed the third midfield spot over the summer, but the £117 million man isn’t included in the AI’s predicted team. Instead, Adam Wharton joins Rice at the heart of the midfield. He’ll only be 24 when the home European Championship kicks off, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him playing for a top Premier League club by then.

Forwards

REUTERS/Paul Childs

The attack is perhaps the most shocking part of ChatGPT’s prediction. Bukayo Saka, fresh off the back of a hat-trick at the World Cup, isn’t going anywhere and will be tasked with leading the team forward.

The 56-cap star is predicted to join a Chelsea duo in the frontline. Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens both endured nightmare debut seasons at Stamford Bridge and were nowhere near anyone’s thinking for the World Cup.

It’ll take an incredible improvement from both men to be starting for a top nation in two years. Delap is the most obvious candidate to replace Harry Kane, who doesn’t make this XI. However, living up to the expectations set by the country’s all-time top goalscorer is a task he’d currently fail.

Gittens, on the other hand, will have to overtake Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon to secure a place on the left-hand side of attack. He’ll also be competing with youngsters like Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha by Euro 2028.