Was a "back-up Trump" or a body double spotted in the background while President Donald Trump spoke to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after the World Cup final? No, that's not true: The person in the background was not a body double for the president but his father-in-law -- Melania Trump's father, Viktor Knavs. On "The Daily Show"…
Did soccer player Lamine Yamal show a keffiyeh during one of the Spain games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? No, that's not true: The rumor was based on a digitally altered image taken during a match between Spain and Saudi Arabia in mid-June 2026. Multiple photos of that scene published by credible journalistic organizations showed Yamal celebrating his goal…
Is a photo showing Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal draped in the Palestine flag and holding the World Cup trophy real? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Yamal wore a Palestinian flag over his shoulders after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final on July 19, 2026. The fake image closely resembles authentic photos showing the…
Did the fireworks at the World Cup finals have blue smoke, suggesting that the game had been rigged for Argentina, but Spain upset those plans? No, that's not true: The fireworks smoke was white during the closing ceremony. The footage in question is real, but it has been re-recorded and altered to change the color of the smoke from white…
Does a viral clip accurately document what happened during the 2026 FIFA World Cup award ceremony when Spanish soccer player Lamine Yamal came to the podium to receive a medal from Donald Trump? No, that's not true: Contrary to claims on social media, Yamal didn't refuse to shake hands with U.S. President Donald Trump: their handshake was well-documented by multiple…
Does a Spanish team photo from the World Cup trophy presentation have U.S. President Donald Trump edited out of it? No, that's not true: Trump was not removed -- digitally or otherwise -- from the photo. Broadcast footage of the ceremony shows Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino just outside the frame. The claim appeared in a post and image…
Does a viral video show a referee who officiated the 2026 FIFA World Cup final crying over Argentina's defeat? No, that's not true: That referee retired three years before that game. Social media posts reused a clip from his last match when the emotional response was prompted by the greetings from the players, not by an outcome of a game.…
Did FIFA President Gianni Infantino announce that the organization was going to wait until after the final 2026 World Cup game to make a decision regarding the Falklands banner displayed by players from Argentina after their win over England? No, that's not true: The account that posted the quote is a parody account. There have been no announcements by FIFA…
Do real photos show Lionel Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal in 2007? Yes, it's true: It has been nearly 19 years since members of the Barcelona soccer team posed with children for a charity fundraising calendar. The five-month-old baby paired with then-20-year-old Messi was Lamine Yamal, who would go on to become a star player for Barcelona and the Spain…
Does a viral image prove that Argentina-England referee Ismail Elfath "asked for a photo" with Argentina's captain Lionel Messi? No, that's not true: The photo was cropped to remove the captain of the opposing team, who was posing with Messi and the referees for a standard pre-match shot. The image was produced in 2022, before a different match played by…
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