If President Donald Trump takes aim at an ally, betting on them to beat the U.S. in an upcoming sporting event might pay off.

Panama struck first. The Central American underdog stunned the U.S. men’s national soccer team (USMNT) last week in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals with a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman, handing the Americans a painful 1-0 loss at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The defeat denied the U.S. a shot at a fourth straight Concacaf title.

Then on Sunday, the Canadians delivered a second blow. With Trump continuing to taunt Canada as a potential “51st state”, Canada’s men’s soccer team defeated the Americans 2-1 in the tournament’s third-place match. Jonathan David’s 59th-minute winner sealed a second loss in four days for a U.S. team preparing to host the 2026 World Cup.

The loss came a month after Canada beat Team USA on the ice in the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off title game, delivering an overtime victory that doubled as a Canadian-style rejoinder to the president’s tariff and annexation threats.

While politics and sports don’t always overlap, for the superstitious, there’s a curious pattern: Trump taunts allies, and U.S. teams keep losing to them.

Inflammatory Rhetoric

The back-to-back defeats on the soccer field came after months of inflammatory comments by Trump toward both countries. In Panama’s case, the attacks have been mostly rhetorical.

Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. should never have relinquished control of the Panama Canal and claims China now wields significant influence over the vital waterway. In December 2024, he threatened to abandon the Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977 and reclaim the canal if transit fees weren’t lowered, calling the U.S. handover a “disastrous” and “foolish” decision.

Panama responded swiftly. President José Raúl Mulino reaffirmed the country’s sovereignty over the canal and soon after canceled two major contracts with Chinese firms, reassigning them to American companies.

But with Canada, things have gotten more personal—and more economically charged.

Ahead of the U.S.-Canada hockey game in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, Trump mocked Trudeau and referred to Canada as “our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State” on Truth Social. He added, “I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada.”

The match up came as Trump renewed his clashes with Canada over trade, imposing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly accusing the country of taking advantage of the U.S. in trade deals. His frequent jabs at former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and remarks questioning Canada’s independence have only deepened the rift.

The response in Canada was visceral. The U.S. anthem was booed in Montreal. Three fights broke out within the first nine seconds of one game. The American team, which had won 3-1 in a previous matchup, lost the rematch. Canadian fans celebrated with extra fervor.

“You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game,” Trudeau posted after the game.

Back-to-Back Losses

This week’s soccer losses mirrored the sting of the hockey defeat. Canada’s win marked its first back-to-back victories over the U.S. since 1985. Panama, meanwhile, continues to be a thorn in the side of U.S. soccer, having eliminated the team from the 2023 Gold Cup and beaten them again in Copa América group play.

The symbolism isn’t lost on Canada. Canadian soccer coach Jesse Marsch, a Wisconsin native and former U.S. player, told NBC News: “These international tournaments for Canada mean something different now.”

Ahead of the Concacaf Nations League Finals, Marsch delivered a personal message to Trump.

“If I have one message to our president, it’s lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state,” he said. “As an American, I’m ashamed of the arrogance and disregard we’ve shown one of our oldest, strongest, and most loyal allies.”

The string of defeats comes at an awkward time for Trump and U.S. soccer officials. The country is preparing to co-host the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico—an event Trump has often touted as a foreign-policy success, even adding a World Cup trophy to his collection of gilded items in the redecorated Oval Office.

“Soccer is going through the roof and really taking over the United States,” Trump said in a recorded message to FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup draw in Miami, according to The Athletic.

But for now, the scoreboard tells a different story.