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Donald Trump will forever be etched into Chelsea history.
The Blues pulled off something of a shock on Sunday night when they thrashed UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain to lift the new Club World Cup trophy.
It was around 6pm in New Jersey at the MetLife Stadium where Chelsea had secure a superb result, capping off a fine month in the United States of America.
But when Chelsea supporters in years to come look back on that moment, there will be something very odd about the photos and videos that they see - US president Donald Trump as part of the trophy lift.
Trump was at the game as a special guest, there at the end to hand out medals alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Yet rather than let Chelsea have their moment of glory, their time in the spotlight, Trump had to get in on the action.
The US president was in the heart of the Chelsea players on the stage on the MetLife Stadium pitch as Reece James claimed the huge golden Club World Cup trophy.
There was plenty of confusion as James waited to hold the trophy above his head, waiting for Trump to stand aside and to exit stage right. Trump, smile on his face, did not. Not even when Infantino tried to usher him away.
Eventually, James gave up on waiting and lifted the trophy aloft and the celebrations with his teammates could begin. Infantino then snuck through the players and guided Trump to the back of the stage, perhaps fearful that over-exuberant celebrations could topple the 79-year-old president.
Cole Palmer, who was the star of the show for Chelsea on the night, admitted to be confused about what was going on in the aftermath.
He said: "I knew he was going to be there, but I didn't know he was going to be there on the stand when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused, yeah."
Defender Levi Colwill said: "They told me that he was going to present the trophy and then exit the stage, and I thought that he was going to exit the stage, but he wanted to stay."
English (US) ·