PRESIDENT Donald Trump was treated to a spectacle of football for the Club World Cup final.
Trump watched on as Chelsea thrashed Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
Donald Trump was greeted by applause and cheers at the Club World Cup[/caption]
Trump presented the Club World Cup trophy alongside Fifa president Gianni Infantino[/caption]
He remained on the podium as Chelsea celebrated lifting the trophy[/caption]
The 79-year-old was a hands-on guest at the event, featuring front and centre as the English club lifted the striking golden trophy.
Trump and first lady Melania touched down in the Marine One helicopter at Teterboro airport near the stadium roughly 35 minutes before kick-off.
When he surfaced inside the stadium, grinning as he wore a his classic red tie, he was greeted by a chorus of cheers and boos from the 80,000 fans in attendance.
He was shown on a jumbotron screen saluting the US national anthem, which sparked off another series of jeers before the camera cut away.
Trump conducted a half-time interview with the tournament’s broadcaster, Dazn, before heading down to the pitch to present the medals and hand out the trophy after the match.
He shook many players hands and gave out many of the medals before picking up the trophy alongside Fifa president Gianni Infantino and presenting it to Chelsea captain Reece James.
After the exchange he was broadly grinning but caused some brief confusion as he remained on stage, inadvertently blocking out Golden Ball winner Cole Palmer, before the Blues lifted the trophy.
Trump later told reporters: “We had a great time.”
He also labelled the crowd as “tremendous”.
The outing came one year to the day after the terrifying assassination attempt the Republican survived at an election rally in Pennsylvania.
As revealed by The Athletic, secret service officials worked with organizers to put together a travel plan to the venue, which is believed to place him behind bulletproof glass.
Yet the Commander-in-Chief did not shy away from the limelight as he uses this tournament as a precursor for the full World Cup being hosted in North America next summer.
Fifa have estimated as many as 6.5 million fans will be welcomed to stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the US for the tournament, with possibly more set to pack into fan parks.
The 2026 World Cup will feature a record 48 teams playing across 16 cities.
Trump is said to “love” the beautiful game, and he has cultivated a strong relationship with Fifa chief Infantino following frequent visits to the White House.
Infantino said: “One year from now, the greatest football show on the planet will definitely captivate the world like never before.
“This is more than a tournament, it’s a global celebration of connection, unity and passion.
“From every corner of the world, dreams are turning into reality as teams qualify and fans make their plans to be part of history, counting down to the biggest Fifa World Cup yet.”
