Chelsea wins Club World Cup – and Trump celebrates on the winners’ podium
After the final whistle of a football match he had shaped and imposed his will on, Cole Palmer was briefly overwhelmed. The English attacker had practically single-handedly led Chelsea FC to victory in the first edition of the completely revamped Club World Cup with an outstanding performance in the surprising 3-0 victory in the final in New Jersey against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Palmer scored the first two goals himself. They were two almost identical strikes: with the inside of his left foot, he curled the ball into the bottom left corner of the net from around 15 meters. He set up the third goal, a lob for João Pedro. The game was decided before the end of the first half. Thanks to Cole Palmer.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer has been named Player of the Tournament at the Club World Cup.
Source: IMAGO/Sportimage
However, the events after the match astonished him. The Chelsea players received their medals and the giant golden trophy from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump. The two are known to have an excellent relationship, which is why Trump graced the final match of Infantino's XXL tournament with his presence.
But while the FIFA president stepped out of the frame after the trophy presentation so as not to get in the way of Chelsea's celebrations, Trump remained on the winner's podium, smiling contentedly, applauding—and for a few moments, becoming part of the blue celebration crowd. "I was a little confused," Palmer said afterward.
The scene brought to a close a final day where football was almost secondary. The finals of major tournaments like the Champions League, a European Championship, or a World Cup are always a show. Musicians perform, dancers dance, and fireworks are set off. The finale of the Club World Cup had all of these elements – plus a bit of a Superbowl and a dash of a boxing match.
Robbie Williams sang his tournament anthem, which spectators had been unable to escape over the past four weeks. Drummers in golden suits marched, and the flags of all the Club World Cup participants were visible once again. Oh, Wydad Casablanca. That's right, RB Salzburg was there too. Of course, I almost forgot: Auckland City. And then there were the pyrotechnics, smoke, and sparks.
A little bit of Superbowl: Robbie Williams sings his Club World Cup anthem.
Source: IMAGO/Gribaudi/ImagePhoto
Unlike the other Club World Cup matches, the US anthem wasn't played from a tape, but was performed live—like at the Superbowl. Jets also thundered over the stadium. And then Trump was there, too—not to the delight of all spectators: when he briefly appeared on the scoreboards during the national anthem, boos could be heard. Boxing announcer Michael Buffer introduced the teams ("Chelseaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" and "Pariiiiiiiiis Saint-Germain!") and urged the approximately 81,000 people in the stadium in New Jersey: "Let's get ready to ruuuuuuuuuuuumble!"
The crowd was absolutely ready. The Club World Cup had suffered, especially in the preliminary round, from the atmosphere in the stadiums being reminiscent of the atmosphere at amateur friendly matches. However, in the decisive matches of the tournament, the atmosphere was appropriate for the occasion. This was also true in the final. "Appropriate for the occasion" also means: completely different from the Bundesliga.
The atmosphere at tournaments is less characterized by the clash between different fan groups and more like a folk festival in football jerseys. At the final in New Jersey, the stands were filled with jerseys from all sorts of clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Flamengo, FC Bayern, France, Brazil, and the New York Cosmos.
What had been evident over the past four weeks of the tournament was once again evident in the final: that spectators don't just come to watch, but also to stage themselves. In New Jersey, many fans had their phones in their hands almost continuously, filming themselves, their friends, and their families. The greatest triumph seemed to be catching the attention of FIFA's camera crews—and appearing on the scoreboard for a few seconds.
In contrast to the cheerfulness in the stands: commotion after the final with Paris coach Luis Enrique (grey shirt).
Source: Pamela Smith/ AP/dpa
The action on the pitch, at least in the closing stages, contrasted with the merriment in the stands. PSG seemed to have conquered football, having recently won the Champions League with a 5-0 victory over Inter Milan and a 4-0 Club World Cup semifinal victory over Real Madrid – the kings of big games, after all. The final against Chelsea was set to be the next crowning achievement for Paris.
But in addition to the game, the team also lost control: João Neves was sent off for grabbing Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella's hair. After the game ended, a brawl broke out on the pitch, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and coach Luis Enrique playing prominent roles. Enrique said he simply wanted to prevent further escalation. Let's get ready to rumble!
Enrique's counterpart, Enzo Maresca, made a statement at the conclusion of the Club World Cup that FIFA President Infantino should be pleased with. Asked what winning the tournament would mean to him, the Chelsea coach said: "I think this competition will be more important than the Champions League." In Europe's premier competition, the US president has never been in the winner's photo before.
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