Trump's Intervention Denies Chelsea the Authentic Club World Cup Trophy

Once again, U.S. President Donald Trump made sure all eyes were on him during a major sporting event.

To the surprise of Chelsea's jubilant players, Trump positioned himself right in the middle of the blue celebration as Reece James finally lifted the Club World Cup trophy high above his head. Yet, according to Trump's own account, James and his squad were actually celebrating with a duplicate trophy, not the original.

The award, which transforms from a flat disc to a golden helix when turned with a specialized key, serves as FIFA President Gianni Infantino's prized possession, with his name actually engraved on the silverware (not once, but twice).

Throughout his relentless promotional campaign for the expanded tournament's debut edition, Infantino dedicated considerable effort to courting the host country's leader. The trophy made its initial appearance in the White House's Oval Office last March, where Trump praised Infantino as "the king of soccer, I suppose, in some capacity".

While Infantino might hold the soccer crown, Trump consistently ensures he gets top priority. The authentic Club World Cup trophy crafted by Tiffany & Co. has stayed at the White House since that March gathering.

"I asked, When will you collect the trophy? [They replied] 'We're not taking it back. You can keep it permanently in the Oval Office. We're creating a replacement,'" Trump shared with DAZN during the Club World Cup championship match. "And they genuinely created a replacement. So that was quite thrilling, but it remains in the Oval [Office] at this moment."

Video from the post-game ceremony also seemed to capture Trump slipping one of the championship medals into his pocket.

This summer's Club World Cup served as a preview for next summer's men's World Cup tournament which will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. "It represents unity," Trump commented about the forthcoming event. "It's about everyone coming together and fostering love between nations. I believe this is likely the most global sport, so it can truly unite the world."