President Donald Trump left Chelsea fans scratching their heads after declaring that he, not the team, possesses the original FIFA Club World Cup trophy—just hours after the English club’s dominant 3–0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the final at MetLife Stadium.
While Chelsea players, including Reece James, celebrated their triumph on the pitch, Trump stunned broadcasters and fans alike during a pre-match interview with DAZN. “They 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?’ He says, ‘We’re never going to pick it up. You can have it forever.’ We’re making a new one,” Trump explained.
He added that the trophy remains on display in the Oval Office, calling it a “quite exciting” gift.
The president, who attended the match with First Lady Melania Trump on the first anniversary of the Butler assassination attempt, also joked about changing the terminology of the sport in the United States. When asked whether he’d consider renaming “soccer” to “football” via executive order, Trump replied, “I think we could do that. I think I could do that.”
Trump took to the field after the match to congratulate Chelsea players and hand them the tournament trophy. He also presented runner-up medals to PSG’s squad.
“It was an upset today, I guess,” Trump said afterward while flying back to Washington. “But it was a great match.”
Several high-profile guests were seen in the president’s suite during the event, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFL legend Tom Brady, and media executive Rupert Murdoch.
Trump’s claim about owning the original trophy—while likely made in jest—has already stirred confusion and debate among Chelsea fans online, many of whom are demanding clarification from FIFA.
