When the White House shared a photo of President Donald Trump meeting with world leaders in the Oval Office, football fans were quick to notice an unexpected piece of silverware in the background. The Club World Cup trophy, which Chelsea won by defeating Paris St-Germain in July in New Jersey, was prominently displayed in the president's office in Washington DC.

This led to widespread curiosity on social media about why 'Chelsea's trophy' was in one of the most important offices in the world, weeks after Enzo Maresca's team lifted it at MetLife Stadium. Following the final in July, President Trump revealed that he was told he could keep the trophy as a recognition of the United States hosting the month-long tournament.

"I said, 'When are you going to pick up the trophy?' [They said] 'We're never going to pick it up. You can have it forever in the Oval Office, we're making a new one'," Trump explained in an interview with DAZN. "And they actually made a new one. So that was quite exciting, but it is in the Oval [Office] right now."

However, FIFA clarified that this is not entirely accurate. There are actually three Club World Cup trophies in existence. The original engraved version is kept at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, as is customary with all FIFA trophies, including the World Cup. One replica belongs to Chelsea, and the team paraded it during a pre-season friendly against AC Milan. The third version resides in the Oval Office in "recognition of the 2025 tournament's exceptional hosts," FIFA told BBC Sport.

The Club World Cup, held across 11 cities in the US, was hailed by organizers as the "world's most successful club competition." However, it faced criticism for low attendance, with more than a million empty seats during the tournament, as well as for the weather conditions and the quality of the pitches in the US.

In an unusual incident, President Trump presented the trophy to Chelsea but remained on stage after the presentation, celebrating with the players, who admitted they were "a bit confused." Following Chelsea's triumph, Trump handed the trophy to captain Reece James before being invited to move aside by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, Trump stayed alongside James and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, applauding as James lifted the trophy, and remained in position for a few seconds before leaving the stage with Infantino.

The United States, along with Canada and Mexico, will jointly host the 2026 men's World Cup next summer.