Juventus player: Oval Office moment with Trump ‘a bit weird'
International soccer stars on the Italian club Juventus found themselves in an unusual position on Wednesday – standing behind President Trump at the resolute desk as he fielded questions about the Israel-Iran war and other hot button issues.
The club, one of the most renowned in world soccer, was in Washington, D.C., to play later that night in the first ever Club World Club. But the players were not expecting to stand by as Trump discussed politics using them as a backdrop.
'It was all a surprise to me, honestly — they told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go,' said Timothy Weah, a Juventus player who is also well-known as a mainstay on the U.S. men's national team.
The Club World Cup is a bit of a preview of next year's World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Weah, interviewed by The Athletic on video after the club's game on Wednesday, expressed surprise and some discomfort with the Trump event.
'I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird. When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like, I just want to play football man.'
Trump frequently hosts sporting teams at the White House, such as the Philadelphia Eagles, who made a visit after their Super Bowl win earlier this year. And the president often gets asked about domestic and world events if he takes questions from reporters invited to attend.
Having a team from Italy behind Trump might have been a first. Juventus's roster includes players from a number of countries, and those attending Wednesday's event along with Weah included one of the best known U.S. players in Weston McKennie, as well as Dusan Vlahovic of Serbia, Federico Gati of Italy and Teun Koopmeiners of the Netherlands.
It's unclear if Trump, who has a heavy background and interest in American football and once owned a team in the USFL, has a keen interest in soccer. At one point he asked the Juventus players if a woman could make their team. When none of the players answered, he asked the team's general manager, who noted that Juventus has a strong women's team.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, whose organization puts on the Club World Cup and the World Cup, was also at the White House on Wednesday – and not for the first time.
Infantino has discussed both major tournaments with Trump, sometimes on-camera. The Club World Cup trophy is also spending time in the Oval Office. It could be seen there Tuesday not far from the resolute desk.
Trump wished the American players luck during the visit, saying he hoped 'you're going to be the best two players on the field.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Guardiola suggests more Man City exits are likely this summer
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has suggested players will leave the club this summer. City have already added four signings this summer in Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Marcus Bettinelli and Rayan Ait-Nouri. Advertisement It also followed a busy January, in which they also added four new players. And Guardiola has suggested that some players will have to move on in order to trim down their squad. 'I would love to have the players that we have right now all season,' he said. 'I love it. I don't have any complaint about the players, how they behave. 'The problem is that they will be unhappy during the season. They will be sad. They will be disappointed. I don't want that. For me it's not a problem, I have more selection but I don't like to have six or seven players or five players at home just in case there's no injuries. Advertisement 'I don't want a big squad for them, not for me, for them. So that's why we have to see what happens.' City take on United Arab Emirates side Al Ain in their second group game at the Club World Cup, but Guardiola insists that even if they win this competition, it still does not make up for their disappointing season. 'What I am disappointed with most is the Champions League, that we were not really good when there were more and more games to qualify,' he said. 'We had, I don't know, 40 or 50% of the squad injured. So it was tough to handle it. It's not going to change whether we win this competition or we arrive in the last stages.' Advertisement Guardiola also suggested he could manager in South America before he retires. He said: 'Why not? So many, many good things in all history happened in football. 'Many, many good things come from South America, from Brazil, from especially Brazil, Argentina, from Colombia, Uruguay. I would say all the countries, many good things in football, the greatest players come from there. 'I admire how they defend, see Boca Juniors, how every single ball is like, wow, the end of the world, it's a different style, different way to play it's really, really good.'
Business Upturn
8 minutes ago
- Business Upturn
FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16: Benfica vs Chelsea preview, potential lineups and prediction
By Aman Shukla Published on June 28, 2025, 10:48 IST The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Round of 16 is heating up, and all eyes are on the blockbuster clash between Benfica and Chelsea at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 28, 2025. This all-European showdown promises fireworks as both teams battle for a quarter-final spot against either Palmeiras or Botafogo. Let's dive into the match preview, potential lineups and our take on who'll come out on top. Match Details: Benfica vs Chelsea Date : Saturday, June 28, 2025 : Saturday, June 28, 2025 Time : 4:00 PM ET (9:00 PM BST) : 4:00 PM ET (9:00 PM BST) Venue : Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC : Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC Where to Watch : Stream live for free on DAZN globally : Stream live for free on DAZN globally Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia) Benfica have been the surprise package of the tournament, topping Group C with a stunning 1-0 win over Bayern Munich. Chelsea, meanwhile, finished second in Group D behind Flamengo but showed their quality with a 3-0 rout of ES Tunis. With history favoring the Blues and Benfica riding a wave of confidence, this match is anyone's game. Benfica's Road to the Knockouts Benfica have turned heads in their Club World Cup debut. They kicked things off with a gritty 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors, clawing back from two goals down. A 6-0 thrashing of Auckland City followed, before they pulled off the upset of the tournament—a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich, thanks to Andreas Schjelderup's early goal and a masterclass from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. The Eagles are led by the evergreen Ángel Di María, who's bagged three penalties in the group stage, and a rock-solid defense anchored by Nicolás Otamendi. But Chelsea won't be an easy task—Benfica have lost all three previous competitive meetings with the Blues, including the 2013 Europa League final. Can they rewrite history? Chelsea's Group Stage Journey Chelsea's group stage had its ups and downs. They started strong with a 2-0 win over LAFC, where Pedro Neto and summer signing Liam Delap shone. A 3-1 loss to Flamengo exposed some cracks, but they bounced back with a commanding 3-0 win over ES Tunis, with goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Delap, and young star Tyrique George. Enzo Maresca's side is a blend of youth and experience, with Cole Palmer pulling the strings in attack and Enzo Fernández controlling the midfield. Despite missing striker Nicolas Jackson due to suspension, Chelsea's squad depth makes them a tough opponent. They'll need to be at their best to handle Benfica's attacking threat. Expected Lineups Benfica (4-2-3-1) Goalkeeper : Anatoliy Trubin : Anatoliy Trubin Defenders : Fredrik Aursnes, António Silva, Nicolás Otamendi, Alexander Dahl : Fredrik Aursnes, António Silva, Nicolás Otamendi, Alexander Dahl Midfielders : Leandro Barreiro, Renato Sanches : Leandro Barreiro, Renato Sanches Attacking Midfielders : Ángel Di María, Gianluca Prestianni, Andreas Schjelderup : Ángel Di María, Gianluca Prestianni, Andreas Schjelderup Striker : Vangelis Pavlidis : Vangelis Pavlidis Manager: Bruno Lage. Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Goalkeeper : Robert Sánchez : Robert Sánchez Defenders : Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella : Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella Midfielders : Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández : Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández Attacking Midfielders : Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke : Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke Striker : Liam Delap : Liam Delap Manager: Enzo Maresca. Head-to-Head History Chelsea has dominated Benfica in the past, winning all three competitive clashes: 2011-12 Champions League Quarter-finals : Chelsea 1-0 Benfica (away), 2-1 (home) : Chelsea 1-0 Benfica (away), 2-1 (home) 2013 Europa League Final: Chelsea 2-1 Benfica While those games were years ago, Chelsea's record could give them a mental edge. Still, Benfica's current form suggests they're ready to challenge that history. Prediction: Who Wins? This one's tough to call. Benfica's defensive grit and Di María's magic make them a real threat, especially after their Bayern upset. But Chelsea's squad depth, with Palmer's creativity and Fernández's midfield control, gives them a slight advantage. We expect a tight game, with Chelsea's quick transitions and clinical finishing making the difference. Score Prediction: Benfica 1-2 Chelsea Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
San Francisco Chronicle
10 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
England's Lionesses face new challenges and 'noise' in Euro 2025 title defense
England will look to eliminate the 'noise' when it kicks off its campaign to retain the Women's European Championship crown. The defending champions travel to Switzerland as one of the favorites at the 16-team tournament, despite recent upheaval in the squad, after winning last time and finishing runner-up to Spain in the 2023 World Cup. Euro 2022 saw England triumph on home soil and secure the country's first senior title since the men's team won the World Cup in 1966. And, in a soccer-mad country, that success has ratcheted up the hype around the Lionesses. 'My experience is before a major tournament there's always noise,' England coach Sarina Wiegman said. 'So we expect noise until we go into the tournament, and it probably stays. 'The difference is that … now, just the attention and the visibility of the women's game has increased so much. So it sounds like that's more noise, but there's just more talk, more journalists here … we just have to deal with it and move on and focus on football.' The 55-year-old Wiegman, who took charge of the Lionesses in September 2021, is bidding to make it a hat trick of European Championship titles, as she steered the Netherlands to the trophy in 2017. However, a chaotic week leading up to her Euro 2025 squad announcement saw several key, experienced players pull out of selection for the tournament. Star defender Millie Bright declared herself unavailable, saying she was not ready '100% mentally or physically,' while goalkeeper Mary Earps and midfielder Fran Kirby retired from international soccer. All three were in England's title-winning team at Euro 2022. 'We can only control ourselves and how good we can be,' England captain Leah Williamson said. "That noise it's there, it is a factual thing, and of course there will be times when it will weigh heavier than others, but ultimately I think we're very much focused on this new task which has changed dramatically. 'The two tournaments of the Euros are incomparable really in terms of what's out there and what's to come," she added, "so I think it will be very exciting for us and we're excited for that new challenge as this new team.' Bright had knee surgery but Earps' surprise move came after she fell behind Chelsea's Hannah Hampton in the goalkeeping pecking order. It leaves Hampton as the only capped shot-stopper in a relatively inexperienced squad. The group includes 13 players who lifted the trophy three years ago, but there are also seven players heading into their first major tournament. And Wiegman is hoping to have found a winning blend of experience and youth. 'When I came in, the team was very experienced. But I do think we have enough experience in the team,' Wiegman said. "There's about 16 players who have played a major tournament. Also with playing at such a high-level club, you are experienced with having media around, playing for big crowds. So I don't think that's a problem. 'I think the experience is enough, the balance with very young, with players that are coming in and playing the first tournament, they are so eager too." In the build-up to Euro 2025, the Lionesses had ups and downs in the Nations League, where in their last three games they lost at Belgium 3-2, beat Portugal at home 6-0, and lost at Spain 2-1. So there is uncertainty surrounding the team's title defense, which begins with a Group D opener against France on July 5 in Zurich. 'Before every tournament, things are different,' Wiegman said. "And, to be honest, before every tournament you have your doubts. I think that's completely normal because if we all knew what was going to happen, then it would be very boring too.' ___
