After Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3–0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday, the team lined up to receive their medals and raise the trophy. But when they stepped onto the stand, Trump was already there, standing right between midfielder Cole Palmer and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.
“I knew he was going to be here,” Palmer said after the match. “But I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused.”
Trump joined FIFA President Gianni Infantino for the ceremony at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The president shook hands with players, smiled for photos, and even handed out a few awards. He gave PSG’s Désiré Doué the Young Player of the Tournament award, Sánchez the Golden Glove, and Palmer the Golden Ball for best player.
But fans had mixed reactions. Some cheered, but loud boos also rang through the stadium as Trump appeared on the jumbotron. The music was turned up shortly after to drown out the noise.
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Still, Trump smiled and clapped along as the Chelsea players celebrated. He posed with the team, then stepped back as they raised the trophy. Later, he called the crowd “tremendous” and told reporters, “We had a great time.”
It was not just any day for Trump. Sunday marked one year since he survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally.
He brought his entire circle. In the luxury suite were Melania Trump, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, Sean Duffy, Tom Brady, Rupert Murdoch, and FIFA officials. They all watched as Chelsea took control of the match early, with two first-half goals from Palmer and a third from João Pedro.
Palmer, just 23, has quickly become a star for Chelsea. He has stepped up in every major game this season. His two goals in the final were nearly identical — both from the left side of the penalty area with his strong left foot.
“It’s a great feeling,” Palmer said. “Even better because obviously everyone doubted us before the game.”
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca praised his team’s fast start. “I think we won the game in the first 10 minutes,” he said. “The message before the game was let them understand that we are here to win.”
For Palmer, the spotlight is only getting brighter. A massive Nike ad featuring his face lit up Times Square this week. “It’s a nice feeling to be obviously alongside them type of players,” he said, referring to stars like Mbappé and Haaland.
Featured image via Screengrab
