By
Donald Trump’s awkward interaction with one team at the close of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in New Jersey on Sunday confounded both players and fans alike.
The president, who has a friendly relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, was invited to present the trophy to the winning team at the final. But when he handed it over to Chelsea Captain Reece James after the team’s 3-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain, Trump oddly continued to hover — even as Infantino appeared to try to direct the president away from the team as players seemed unsure whether to begin celebrating.
James turned to Trump and, in front of a packed crowd at MetLife Stadium, as well as a sizeable global television audience, appeared to ask the President of the United States whether he was planning to leave him to it, as convention usually dictates. But Trump kept grinning happily, so James, the victorious Chelsea captain, decided he might as well just hoist that giant gold-plated trophy skywards.
“They told me that [Trump] was going to present the trophy and then exit the stage,” James told The Athletic after the match. “I thought he was going to exit the stage, but he wanted to stay. And that probably highlights how big the tournament is.”
Chelsea soccer star Cole Palmer, who was named the tournament’s top player, told reporters later Sunday that he was baffled by Trump’s lingering presence.
“I knew he was going to be here, but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused,” Palmer said.
You can watch a clip of the trophy presentation here.
Trump attended the game with first lady Melania Trump and reportedly hosted several high-profile guests in his suite, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFL icon Tom Brady and conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
The Associated Press reported that Trump received cheers from the crowd at MetLife Stadium when he arrived ahead of the match but was met with a “smattering of boos” later on. Jeering from the crowd can be heard at several points during the event.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to hold its final matches next July at MetLife Stadium. As The Washington Post’s Matt Viser reported, Sunday’s uncomfortable Trump moments could be a “preview of what could happen on the same field one year from now.”
Perhaps by that time, we’ll be calling soccer “football” like the rest of the world.