The crowd at the MetLife Stadium erupted in cheers as the European giants, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea finally squared off to compete for the prestigious trophy in East Rutherford, New Jersey. As anticipated, a full house turned up for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, with many revered names also in attendance. Among the guests on the list is none other than the honorable President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump.

However, just when one would expect the American crowd to make a grand welcome for their nation’s first man, the Republican party leader somehow ended up facing an unfortunate disrespect. For context, the episode transpired just moments before the kick-off. After an enthralling countdown for the final and some promising live performances, it was time for the national anthem.

Now, as the entire MetLife Stadium echoed The Star-Spangled Banner, cameras panned to showcase both players and supporters in the stands honoring the host nation’s song. Interestingly, the Jumbotron went to President Trump, who was standing and saluting next to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as soon as the big picture of the POTUS was displayed on the screen, the cheers turned into a chorus of out cry, and the crowd started booing.

That somehow forced the broadcasters on the Jumbotron to quickly switch to something else. While many might see it as a swift save, the moment didn’t go unnoticed and sparked discussions. Regardless, it was certainly an unexpected display from the crowd, who didn’t hesitate to show their opposition to Trump.

What made Trump’s presence at the final particularly notable was that he didn’t attend any of the matches involving MLS teams throughout the Club World Cup. For instance, the tournament’s opener between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly drew a crowd of 60,927 at Hard Rock Stadium, yet the POTUS was nowhere to be seen. But today, he arrived, just before the national anthem.

Upon his arrival, the president waved to the crowd as he and his entourage arrived at the stadium luxury box, where he shared the space with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his wife, Leena Al Ashqar.

Interestingly, in the wake of his good relations with Infantino, the POTUS even mentioned that he plans to attend multiple matches of the World Cup tournament next year that will be held at stadiums in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Preparations for next year’s big soccer moment for North America are well underway, and so far FIFA didn’t shy away to add all the gold and glitter to make the 2025 Club World Cup a great success.

FIFA Club World Cup hasn’t disappointed anyone

Prior to Mr. President’s arrival, the entire stadium was treated to FIFA’s new official anthem, “Desire,” perfectly setting the tone for this historic final. The song was brought to life by former ‘Take That’ star and newly named FIFA music ambassador Robbie Williams, alongside global pop sensation Laura Pausini.

Adding to the spectacle, a color guard presentation, an exhilarating flyover, and dazzling pyrotechnics fired up the crowd. And to top it all off, legendary American ring announcer Michael Buffer took the microphone to deliver his iconic line, “Let’s get ready to rumble!” In fact, the halftime show offered a musical performance from J. Balvin, Doja Cat, and Tems, an emerging R&B talent.

As if enthralling pre-match and half-time performances weren’t enough to entertain fans, either club on the pitch decided to make things more interesting for the viewers around the world. Before the match, everyone was talking about Paris Saint-Germain being the favorites to win the FIFA Club World Cup, after having won two domestic French cups and the Champions League.

However, Chelsea decided to take this pre-game prophecy to heart, as they are already 3-0 ahead of the Parisians. It has been a pure domination from the Premier League giants so far, who couldn’t stop firing shots after shots at their rivals’ goalie. The courtesy of this emphatic lead goes to Cole Palmer for netting an emphatic brace inside the half-hour mark, with new signing Joao Pedro adding another just before halftime.

With this, PSG would certainly look to turn things around. Let’s see what the second half brings at this stage!