Pedro Sanchez was absent from Spain’s World Cup trophy celebrations after being seen greeting Donald Trump in the VIP box during the final.

The Spanish prime minister had watched the nail-biting victory over Argentina alongside King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.

Th US President and First Lady Melania Trump were also among the dignitaries attending the match.

At one point during the game, Sanchez and Trump were seen shaking hands in the hospitality area, despite recent diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Washington.

However, while King Felipe joined Spain’s players on the pitch for the trophy presentation following the final whistle, Sanchez did not accompany the delegation onto the field and was not present during the medal ceremony or trophy lift.

Before the match, Sanchez had described the occasion as ‘a historic day’ for Spain and said he hoped ‘the best team wins – and the best team is Spain.’

He also played down the prospect of Trump presenting the trophy, saying: ‘I’m less concerned about who gives out the trophy than who receives it.’

Sanchez’s early departure is likely due to his tight schedule, which includes an official visit to Algeria on Monday.

The diplomatic trip was one of the main reasons he was initially not expected to attend the match at all.

However, he made a last-minute change to his agenda to support Spain.

The official trip to Algeria is expected to focus on bilateral relations, energy cooperation and regional security.