The final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium was an unprecedented event, not only because of Chelsea’s victory as the first champion of the tournament’s new era, but also because of the unexpected presence and participation of current US President Donald Trump. What many fans did not see coming was the excessive prominence of the president in the awards ceremony, a moment that left Chelsea captain Reece James surprised and with an unforgettable anecdote.
Despite some questions about ticket sales and tournament organization, the final defied all odds, attracting a massive crowd and creating an electrifying atmosphere. The surprise was compounded when Trump’s arrival and his controversial participation in the event were confirmed
Donald Trump’s excessive participation
What Reece James and the Chelsea team did not expect was the president’s active participation in the celebration. “I didn’t expect him to lift the trophy with us, but I guess it shows how big the tournament is,” James confessed, according to talkSPORT International’s Premier League commentator Ben Jacobs. The image of Trump taking part in the celebrations, along with the puzzled faces of Chelsea’s footballers, went viral on social media and earned a lot of jokes and above all, criticism.
In front of 81,118 fans, James revealed the brief exchange with the president. “He just congratulated me and the team and told us to enjoy the moment,” he revealed. This was a truly special moment for the captain and the whole team and a snapshot of the president celebrating alongside the English team quickly went viral. The commentator remarked: “The beaming smile is that of Reece James” as he prepared to lift the trophy alongside the US president. The fact that Trump adorned the players’ necks with medals was just one of the details that made this victory even more talked about around the world.
A historic triumph
The 2025 edition of the Club World Cup not only saw Chelsea crowned champions, but also marked the beginning of a new era for the tournament. This event made history in multiple ways, highlighting its expansion to a truly global scale and its consolidation as a tournament that is here to stay.
The English team became the first champion of the new version of this tournament and will be in the history books forever. Chelsea’s season went from strength to strength, as they managed to qualify for the next edition of the Champions League, won the Conference League and rounded it all off with the historic Club World Cup.
Read the full article here
