Misleading Claims About Infantino's Reaction to Ferran Torres' Goal
Recently, social media has been rife with a video purportedly showing FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacting coolly to a goal, which is claimed to be Ferran Torres’ goal in the final of the 2026 World Cup between Spain and Argentina. However, this assertion is unequivocally false. While the video itself is genuine, it does not capture Infantino's response during the World Cup final. Instead, it is footage from the Round of 16 match between Canada and Morocco, which took place on July 4, 2026.
The misleading post has gained significant traction, with over 8,000 shares on social media platforms since July 20. It features a 16-second clip of spectators at a match rising and applauding while Infantino remains seated, clapping. Similar clips have appeared on various profiles online, incorrectly associating them with the World Cup final.
Clarifying the Context of the Video
Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this video was recorded during the Canada vs. Morocco match, not during the final of the World Cup. A separate TikTok video from that day corroborates this, showing the same moment which has been misattributed to the final between Spain and Argentina. The circulating video is flipped, revealing the words "World Cup 2026" displayed in reverse at the bottom of the screen, and in the thirteenth second, the Moroccan flag is projected, further proving the video's true context.
Additionally, numerous photographs from the Canada-Morocco match available on Getty Images highlight similarities with the footage shared on social media. The individuals flanking Infantino in the video are identifiable as Patrice Motsepe, the President of the African Football Confederation, and Fouzi Lekjaa, the President of the Moroccan Football Federation. The person to Infantino’s right is Peter Augruso, the President of the Canadian Soccer Association.
It is crucial to clarify that while the misleading post alerts viewers that the video does not pertain to the World Cup final, it fails to accurately specify the origin of the images. It erroneously claims the video is from Morocco's victory over the Netherlands, which occurred on June 30, rather than the actual event it depicts, which was the match on July 4 between Canada and Morocco.
Furthermore, images from the final match do show Infantino seated between former U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife, Leena Al Ashqar, in a glass-enclosed box, eliminating any doubts about his whereabouts during the event.
This is not the first instance of misleading images concerning FIFA's President during the 2026 World Cup. Previous clarifications from VerificaRTVE have pointed out that Infantino was not present at two matches happening simultaneously, as the images being circulated were manipulated.
As reported by rtve.es.
