Former U.S. President Donald Trump has made a surprising claim regarding Chelsea Football Club’s recent Club World Cup triumph, asserting that the trophy lifted by the team was, in fact, a duplicate — with the original now residing permanently in the Oval Office.
According to Trump, who was present at the tournament final alongside top officials including FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the authentic trophy never made it to Chelsea’s home in London. Instead, it was handed over to him after the match and has remained in Washington, D.C. ever since.
Speaking in an interview with DAZN, the official broadcaster of the Club World Cup, Trump said, “I asked, ‘When are you going to pick up the trophy?’ They told me, ‘We’re never going to pick it up. You can keep it forever in the Oval Office. We’re making a new one.’ And they actually did — they made a new one.”
The revelation implies that Chelsea captain Reece James, who lifted the trophy during the official post-match ceremony, may have unknowingly raised a replica. Reports also suggest that Trump’s unexpected presence during the presentation caused evident confusion among the players, with FIFA’s Infantino subtly urging Trump to step aside during the handover.
Trump’s engagement in FIFA-related events has reportedly intensified since the beginning of his second presidential term. In March, Infantino appeared at the White House to present the original Club World Cup trophy, which has remained on display in the Oval Office ever since.
In the same interview, Trump also hinted at a potential executive order to officially rename “soccer” to “football” in the United States, echoing global terminology. He further claimed that numerous world leaders now regard the U.S. as “the hottest country in the world” — a reference to its current global standing both politically and economically.
Trump concluded by praising football’s unifying power, stating, “It’s about unity. It’s about everybody getting together and a lot of love between countries. I guess this is probably the most international sport, so it can really bring the world together.”
