Donald Trump has been given permission by FIFA to continue taking part in the World Cup trophy lift – 12 months since he did so when Chelsea won the Club World Cup
Donald Trump could break FIFA rules in World Cup final (Image: AFP, Getty Images)
Donald Trump has been given permission to take part in the World Cup’s trophy lift, in the same way he controversially did last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
The United States, which is hosting the majority of this summer’s matches, also hosted a club version 12 months ago, which Chelsea won. When the President presented the trophy to Reece James, he did not come off the stage, instead staying where he was and continuing to participate in the celebrations.
talkSPORT reports that FIFA is not opposed to him repeating the trick, even if it means breaking traditional protocols. FIFA protocols normally dictate that the trophy be placed on a pedestal and carried to the podium for celebration by members of the winning team.
FIFA will leave it up to Trump to decide whether he will remain with the team during the lift or leave to watch the ceremony, the people said. White House officials believe President Trump will once again choose to celebrate with a champion team.
The US president has reportedly already asked FIFA to hand over the World Cup trophy to the eventual champions. Mexican and Canadian officials will be invited to attend the closing ceremony.
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There were some awkward moments, many of which were caught on camera, during Trump’s decision to let Chelsea players stay after last year’s win over PSG. Trump handed the trophy to James, but instead of leaving as expected, he remained there.
Asked about the event at the end, the Blues captain admitted he was surprised. “To answer your question, he said earlier that he was going to present the trophy and then walk off the stage. I thought he was going to walk off the stage, but he wanted to stay.”
The US president stands with Chelsea players after winning last year’s Club World Cup (Image: Getty Images)
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“I knew he was going to be here, but I didn’t know he was going to be in the stands when we hoisted the trophy. It was definitely a little confusing,” Cole Palmer, who scored twice in the final at MetLife Stadium, said after the game.
President Trump did not watch the U.S. team’s stunning victory over Paraguay in their first World Cup match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. White House chief of staff Andrew Giuliani said his absence was due to a “tight schedule.”
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