Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup victory over Paris Saint-Germain, the post-match celebrations were overshadowed by an unexpected revelation from none other than U.S.

U.S President Donald Trump, who disclosed that the trophy lifted by Chelsea captain Reece James was, in fact, a replica.

The polarizing head of state, who was a prominent figure during the trophy presentation and Chelsea’s celebrations, confessed in an interview with DAZN that the original Club World Cup trophy had never even made it to the pitch. Instead, it was apparently sitting in his office at the White House.

This shocking admission came after James hoisted the duplicate trophy, with Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino standing conspicuously on the podium.

Trump, who reportedly faced boos from sections of the crowd as he presented medals and the trophy, remained on stage throughout Chelsea’s celebrations, drawing widespread criticism and mockery online. Images of him looming beside James quickly went viral, fueling the controversy.

Reports indicate that the real trophy had remained at the White House since Infantino had unveiled it there shortly after Trump’s return to power, following his victory over Kamala Harris in the recent U.S. elections.

To avert a potential diplomatic incident, FIFA scrambled to produce a duplicate trophy for the Chelsea squad, an act that has led many football fans to label the Blues’ historic win as “tainted by politics.”

Trump, who is now gearing up to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, has once again found himself at the epicenter of global sporting controversy.

Adding an ironic twist to the narrative, the final of the 2026 World Cup is scheduled to take place at the very same venue where Chelsea lifted the “fake” trophy, a stadium now indelibly marked in football infamy.