Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer said he was “a bit confused” when President Trump joined the team to receive the trophy for its FIFA Club World Cup win on Sunday.
As Chelsea’s Reece James received the trophy, Palmer was jumping directly behind the team’s captain and Trump stood between Palmer and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.
“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, so I was a bit confused,” Palmer, who had a pair of goals in the first half, said.
After the medallion was presented to James, FIFA President Gianni Infantino handed Trump his own award.
Trump brought his friends, family and close advisers with him to see Chelsea dominate Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, which marked exactly one year since a failed assassination attempt while he was on stage at a rally in Butler, Pa. last year.
“It was an upset today I guess,” Trump said after flying back to Washington on Sunday. “But it was a great match.”
Trump watched the match from the stadium’s luxury box in East Rutherford, N.J., along with first lady Melania Trump and the FIFA president and his wife, Leena Al Ashqar.
Also in the luxury suite were Attorney General Pam Bondi, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFL star Tom Brady and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
The Associated Press contributed.
Tags chelsea Donald Trump FIFA Gianni Infantino Kristi Noem Melania Trump Pam Bondi Rupert Murdoch Sean Duffy Tom Brady
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