Chelsea’s historic 3-0 triumph over European champions PSG in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup final was undeniably the main event, but an unexpected guest at the trophy ceremony has left players and fans buzzing.

US President Donald Trump joined FIFA chief Gianni Infantino on the pitch at MetLife Stadium to present the trophy, but his prolonged presence after the handoff sparked confusion and drew a mixed reaction from the crowd.

Despite the cheers from some, a significant portion of the audience, likely comprising English and French supporters, booed Trump as he made his way out for the ceremony.

This appearance notably occurred on the one-year anniversary of an attempted assassination against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, during his 2024 election campaign.

Chelsea players themselves expressed surprise at Trump’s lingering on stage. Captain Reece James admitted the noise made it difficult to hear much, but recalled Trump offering congratulations and advising them to “enjoy the moment.” Cole Palmer, the two-goal hero, was visibly perplexed, stating, “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. I was a bit confused, yeah.” Defender Levi Colwill echoed this sentiment, revealing, “They told me that he was going to present the trophy and then exit the stage, and I thought that he was going to exit the stage, but he wanted to stay.”

Regardless of the political spectacle, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side wrote themselves into history, becoming the first team to win the revamped Club World Cup and securing a substantial prize of over KES 19.85 billion in the process.