The World Cup kicked off Thursday in Mexico City. Donald Trump has apparently already won it, at least according to Donald Trump. The editors at Private Eye seemed to think that was worth a cover. In fairness, Trump gave them plenty to work with.
The cartoon shows Trump clutching the trophy beneath the headline “World Cup Fever Mounts.” A reporter asks who he thinks will win. “Me! I’ve already won, everyone says so!” he replies. When the reporter points out that the trophy is “gold, tacky and a symbol of corruption,” Trump has a ready answer. “What’s not to like?”
That was only part of the cover. The strip ends with a fake “Group of Death” featuring Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and Greenland, a neat summary of countries that have found themselves on the receiving end of Trump’s attention over the past eighteen months.
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The cover works because the joke is not much of a stretch.
Back in December, FIFA president Gianni Infantino unveiled a brand new “FIFA Peace Prize” and handed it to Trump during the World Cup draw ceremony at the Kennedy Center, alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Trump accepted the award by calling it “truly one of the great honors of my life.”
Since then, Infantino has continued making appearances at the White House, creating a dynamic that has become a running source of amusement among football journalists who cover the sport internationally.
The cover’s “tacky symbol of corruption” punchline becomes even sharper when placed alongside the realities surrounding this tournament.
Trump reportedly skipped Friday’s USMNT opener against Paraguay and sent Marco Rubio in his place. His original 2018 pitch for the tournament promised an event that would welcome fans and players from around the world. Eight years later, the conversation has often centered on visa restrictions and entry concerns, with several observers arguing that the atmosphere feels far less celebratory than originally envisioned.
That issue is especially noticeable when Iran enters the conversation.
Iran, one of the countries featured in Private Eye’s fictional “Group of Death,” played New Zealand on Monday while dealing with genuine visa complications affecting players and staff amid the continuing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Of course, this is hardly the first time Private Eye has taken aim at Trump.
Previous covers mocked his behavior during King Charles III’s state visit, and the current issue also turns its attention toward the America 250 celebrations. One columnist reaches all the way back to 1876, noting that Philadelphia’s centennial world’s fair was overshadowed by news that General Custer and his command had been wiped out at Little Bighorn.
The comparison is not exactly subtle.
The writer’s argument is that another American military venture is currently struggling, yet Trump continues treating the country’s 250th anniversary as what the magazine describes as “a big ol’ celebration of himself.”
Featured image via X screengrab
