Chelsea won the Club World Cup, but Donald Trump walked away with the real trophy. Fans and players were left stunned as the team celebrated with a replica.
In an incident that left football fans and players stunned, Donald Trump has retained the original FIFA Club World Cup trophy, handing Chelsea a replica instead after their dominant win over Paris Saint-Germain in the final held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The moment unfolded live during the post-match celebrations on Sunday. Chelsea had just clinched a 3-0 win, and as the players stepped up to receive their medals and the trophy, Trump unexpectedly joined them on the podium. According to The Athletic and The Daily Beast, Trump not only overstayed on stage despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s repeated requests to exit, but also walked away with the actual trophy designed by Tiffany & Co., reportedly worth $230,000 and plated in 24-carat gold.
Social media erupted when Chelsea captain Reece James lifted the trophy, one that turned out to be a replica. A short clip of Trump refusing to vacate the presentation area quickly went viral, with users labeling the moment “awkward” and “embarrassing.” Even Chelsea players appeared visibly frustrated during the celebrations.
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The original Club World Cup trophy, an intricately designed symbol with a central disc and three rotating golden rings, is now sitting in the Oval Office. Trump claimed during a DAZN broadcast that Infantino personally offered to let him keep it.
“They [FIFA] said: ‘Could you hold this trophy for a little while?’ We put it in the Oval Office, and then I said: ‘When are you going to pick up the trophy,’ and [Infantino] said: ‘We’re never going to pick it up, you can have it forever in the Oval Office,’” Trump told DAZN.
Meanwhile, Chelsea were left with a crafted replica. According to the reports, Infantino even handed a winner’s medal to Trump post-ceremony, though it remains unclear if he accepted or kept the medallion.
The unusual moment raised eyebrows within FIFA and beyond, as sports commentators questioned the governance optics of allowing a political figure to retain a major international sports trophy. The incident adds to a long line of Trump’s high-profile moments of defiance, but this time at the expense of a football team’s historic win.
This isn’t the first time Trump’s affinity for gold and showmanship has gate crashed with global events. But for Chelsea fans and the footballing community, the realization that their team celebrated with a stand-in trophy has cast a shadow over what was supposed to be a crowning achievement.