NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� FIFA President deemed the a success on Friday, again lauding President Donald Trump for his role in the event and saying the tournament achieved its mission of uniting people from all corners of the globe.
Infantino pointed to many numbers 鈥� sold-out stadiums and big television ratings 鈥� as proof that the biggest World Cup ever met expectations, as Trump nodded in approval.
鈥淭he American dream, Mr. President, came to reality,鈥� Infantino said as he stood alongside Trump in New York on Friday. 鈥淲e united the world.鈥�
Trump hosted a reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan for Infantino and international soccer stars. Trump and Infantino spoke next to the golden trophy Trump plans to award to the winner of Sunday鈥檚 final between Argentina and Spain.
As he often does in Trump鈥檚 presence, Infantino was effusive in his praise: 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need people to compliment you, Mr. President, but this World Cup would not have been such an incredible success without you.鈥�
Trump called this World Cup 鈥渙ne of the all-time greatest sporting events in history,鈥� adding that the tournament galvanized more than just the sporting world.
鈥淪o good luck to Spain and Argentina on Sunday and may the best team win,鈥� Trump said.
Earlier Friday, Infantino spoke at the United Nations as part of a daylong session there about how the game can be a catalyst for youth mental health. He brought one of the official game balls that are to be used in Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain to the stage, calling it 鈥渁 magic object which has the power to unite the world.鈥�
鈥淲e hear it many times, don鈥檛 we, that we live in a divided world, that we live in an aggressive world, that there are so many things that divide us, that create us problems,鈥� Infantino said. 鈥淏ut we know as well, and if there is one thing, if there is one thing that this World Cup has shown us and is showing us, we know that there are many more things that bring us together than things that divide us.鈥�
This was the largest World Cup in history, with 48 teams qualifying and matches spread out over the U.S., Canada and Mexico. FIFA has said stadiums have been basically full for each of the 102 matches played to date 鈥� there are two remaining, the France-England game for third place in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday, and then Sunday’s final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Total attendance for the tournament will end up somewhere around 6.7 million 鈥� a World Cup record, despite concerns months ago that high ticket prices and immigration issues would deter fans from coming to North America for the matches.
鈥淲e have seen millions of people coming together in the last month and a half to the United States, to Canada and to Mexico, but in every corner of the world, coming together in a peaceful way, in a joyful way, wanting to spend time together and wanting to celebrate a moment of community,鈥� Infantino said. 鈥淭his is the strongest message ever and this is the message on which we have to build our future 鈥� a future of community and a future of unity.鈥�
The tournament has not had any major security incidents, which some feared, but has featured geopolitical discomfort and controversy. The had a tumultuous experience, narrowly being knocked out in the group stage while facing what it said were onerous travel restrictions as its country was at war with the U.S. Infantino was criticized globally after lifting U.S. star following urging from Trump 鈥� who described his role in that saga as 鈥渕aking a recommendation.鈥�
鈥淕ianni made yet another of his good decisions,鈥� Trump said.
And the British government has urged FIFA to after players posed with a banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands after their semifinal win against England.
Infantino pledged to the U.N. that he and FIFA would 鈥渓end our full support鈥� to youth mental health causes, saying that the topic should be taken seriously.
But he pointed to these matches as examples of how sport can be a bridge across language, cultural, political and other barriers.
鈥淚n two days, we will know if Spain or Argentina will be the world champion,鈥� Infantino said. 鈥淏ut what we know already, dear friends, is that football is not just the most popular sport in the world, but football has definitely become that common, that universal language that everyone speaks because everyone wants to come together.鈥�
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Associated Press Writers Josh Boak in New York and Will Weissert in Washington contributed.
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