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Ferran Torres scored the goal that secured the 2026 World Cup title against Argentina, in the 106th minute of the final played at the New York/New Jersey stadium. A day later, during the victory parade through the streets of Madrid, the forward appeared shirtless and wearing a red cap bearing the phrase "Make Spain Great Again", a direct adaptation of Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again".
Images of Torres waving to fans from the open-top bus, wearing the cap, quickly spread across social media. The item is not part of the official MAGA merchandise line, but an adapted version of the slogan referring to Spain. Before the parade, the squad had visited King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the Zarzuela Palace, and also the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, at La Moncloa.
Mixed reactions
The gesture prompted very different interpretations among fans and media outlets. Some saw it as a joke without any deeper meaning; others read it as an ironic nod to Trump, or even as a possible dig at Sánchez. It has also been pointed out that the phrase "Make Spain great again" has previously been used by the right-wing party Vox, which further fuelled the political readings of the episode.
Torres has not offered any public explanation for his choice or clarified whether there was any specific intention behind the message, so for the moment the theories remain open to individual interpretation. The White House, however, seized the opportunity to share a post on X reading: "Everyone wants to join the movement".
Sumar accuses Torres of operating a vulture fund
The controversy did not end with the cap. Alberto Ibáñez, a Compromís–Sumar MP, on Tuesday shared incorrect information, claiming that Ferran Torres’s company was acting as a "vulture fund" and had acquired "20 homes in Valencia" to speculate. However, as reported by El Español (source in Spanish) and confirmed to the outlet by the player’s entourage, that claim does not reflect reality.
Sources close to the player explain that the main property asset of Eleven Future Invest, the company owned by Spain’s number 7, is a commercial building next to Mestalla, made up of 50 offices leased to businesses, and not a stock of residential properties for speculation.
As for his residential holdings, Ferran Torres owns four homes: his residence in Barcelona, two properties in Valencia and another house in the town where he spends his holidays. He also owns a plot of land on which he plans to build in the future.
The controversy stemmed from information published by Forbes, which stated that the forward has "20 properties strategically distributed between the Valencian Community and Catalonia".
On the back of that reference, Ibáñez stepped up his criticism and called for legal reform to prevent "companies and vulture funds such as Eleven Future Invest, Ferran Torres’s company which, according to Forbes, already hoards 20 homes in Valencia, from being able to buy houses to speculate".
Cucurella also in hot water with Argentina
The defender, a Real Madrid signing, was one of the liveliest during the celebrations in Madrid. After the official receptions at the Zarzuela Palace and La Moncloa, the celebration moved on to Plaza de Cibeles. There, each player took to the stage accompanied by a song of his own choosing, and Marc again opted for "Malbec", the track by Duki and Bizarrap that he had already used during the Euro 2024 celebrations.
The gesture did not go unnoticed in Argentina for two reasons. The artists behind the song are both Argentine (Duki and Bizarrap), and the lyrics – "I got to the city and they welcome me like I’m a boss. Getting bigger all the time and even I don’t know how it happened. Today we’re celebrating and my team came out champions. Inside the party, out in the street, you can hear my voice" – did not exactly help either…
Some fans and several media outlets interpreted the choice of song as a provocation towards the Albiceleste after the outcome of the tournament. The daily TyC Sports, for example, went so far as to describe it as a "mockery" of the Argentina national team.
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