“I wasn’t expecting him” - Reece James reveals what Donald Trump told him while lifting Club World Cup trophy with Chelsea players

Chelsea captain Reece James has revealed what Donald Trump said to him after the latter joined the team to lift the FIFA Club World Cup trophy. The Blues defeated reigning European Champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3-0 on Sunday, July 13, to be crowned winners of the rebranded Club World Cup.

Enzo Maresca's side entered the clash as underdogs but produced a masterclass performance to outwit Luis Enrique's PSG. A first-half brace from Cole Palmer (22', 30') and a goal from Joao Pedro (43') ensured a memorable win for the Premier League outfit.

Trump was in attendance at the MetLife Stadium for the final. The president of the United States of America participated in handing out medals to both teams before presenting the trophy to Chelsea.

However, Trump strangely stayed back with the team as James lifted the trophy alongside his teammates. Speaking about the incident, the Chelsea skipper admitted that he wasn't expecting Trump to join in on the trophy lifting. He said [via @JacobsBen] the President congratulated the team and told them to enjoy the victory.

“I wasn’t expecting him [Trump] to lift the trophy with us, but I guess it shows just how big the tournament is. He just congratulated me and the team and told us to enjoy the moment," James said as quoted by journalist Ben Jacobs (via Chelsea Dodgers on X).

The victory over PSG summed up a successful 2024-25 campaign for Maresca's side. The west London club finished fourth in the league, securing a Champions League spot for next season. They also defeated Real Betis (4-1) in May to lift the UEFA Conference League trophy.

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Chelsea star Cole Palmer crowned Player of the Tournament after FIFA Club World Cup final heroics

Cole Palmer was named the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Player of the Tournament after propelling his team to victory over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The 23-year-old was the chief tormentor for the opposition, scoring twice and setting up João Pedro in the 3-0 win.

Overall, Palmer registered three goals and two assists in six outings at the tournament. He recorded an assist in the Round of 16 victory over Benfica (4-1 AET) and scored the opener against Palmeiras in the quarter-final (2-1). Robert Sanchez was also named the best goalkepepr, beating PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma to the award.

Since joining the Blues from Manchester City in 2023 for a reported £40 million, Palmer has arguably been the most outstanding player at the club. So far, he has scored 43 goals and provided 29 assists in 97 games for Chelsea.

Edited by Nived Zenith