The fireworks had barely faded at MetLife Stadium when Chelsea’s celebrations took an unexpected twist – with Donald Trump standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the team as they lifted the Club World Cup trophy.
Chelsea had just secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final, thanks to a standout performance from Cole Palmer, who netted twice. But it wasn’t just the goals that had people talking – it was the presence of the former US president.
Trump, who had been watching the match from the VIP box alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, was invited to present the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James. That much had been planned. But what followed wasn’t.
“He was supposed to just hand it over and exit,” James told reporters after the ceremony. “I thought he was going to exit the stage – but he wanted to stay.”
And stay he did.
Instead of stepping back, Trump remained in place beside James and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, clapping along as the trophy was hoisted skyward. Only after a few moments did he and Infantino step down and exit quietly from the rear of the stage.
Palmer, who had been Chelsea’s hero on the night, admitted he didn’t quite know what was going on. “I knew he was going to be at the game,” he said. “But I didn’t expect him to be on the podium. I was a bit confused, yes.”
The scene had echoes of a political rally -red carpet, heavy security, a crowd of 81,000, and a stadium lit up with the kind of energy more often reserved for the Super Bowl than football, or “soccer” as Trump repeatedly called it.
Speaking to sports broadcaster DAZN during the match, Trump appeared in high spirits. “I’m having a really great time,” he said. “Gianni is a friend of mine. He’s done such a great job with the league and with soccer — or football, as they call it.”
Asked whether he might pass an executive order to have the sport renamed “football” in the United States, Trump smiled: “I think we could do that. I think I could do that.”
Whether he was joking or testing the waters for another campaign moment is anyone’s guess.
The event marked the end of FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup, a tournament rebranded with American-style fanfare. It was also a reminder – if any were needed – that politics and sport remain tightly intertwined, especially with the U.S. set to co-host the 2026 Men’s World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.
As Chelsea basked in their global triumph, they did so with a head of state unexpectedly in their team photo. For a few surreal minutes, it was unclear whether the story was the football -or the man sharing the stage.
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