Spain forward Ferran Torres has shed some light on why he wore a MAGA-inspired "Make Spain Great Again" hat during celebrations of Spain's second-ever men's World Cup victory.
Torres scored the winning goal in the World Cup final, lifting La Roja to a 1-0 victory over Argentina in extra time and sparking celebrations in New York and all over the country. As Spain enjoyed a parade and presentation the next day, Torres was seen in the red hat in the style made famous by Donald Trump.
"It was a funny moment because it was not about politics because honestly I don’t know about politics, it was just to be able to see Spain again on the top, winning the World Cup," he told CNN." It was just to have fun with my friends, with my family and nothing about politics or nothing about,
yeah, this."
Speculation may continue about Torres' motives, with some reading the Valencia native's hat as a nod to Trump and the White House sharing a news article about the hat. Others felt it was meant to mock the U.S. president, who, along with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, presented Spain with the World Cup trophy.
Trump appeared to seek out a photo opportunity during the trophy ceremony, only for Spain captain Rodri to wait until Infantino had escorted the U.S. President to the side to lift the silverware.
Torres returned to the New York area for a press tour Monday, appearing on The Today Show and Sportico in addition to the CNN interview. In all three, he spoke about his future, with a contract that keeps him at FC Barcelona until 2027 but interest from Paris Saint-Germain in signing the World Cup winner.
"It’s always good when those teams want you. I have a contract, ultimately, with Barcelona," Torres told Sportico. "It’s true that in soccer you never know what can happens, but the good things is that since I have a contract I can wait and decide for myself.
How should Barcelona keep him? "Well, show that they want me and that they’re coming to negotiate, and in the end we'll all talk."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup hero Ferran Torres says MAGA-inspired hat was 'not about politics'
