As the initial days of the second Trump administration continue, the image of President Donald Trump sitting at his desk in the Oval Office has become an almost daily occurrence.
Among the daily coverage, people online have spotted a particular shiny artifact behind Trump: the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
“Is that the World Cup trophy behind President Trump in the Oval Office?” Jeremy Art, a CSPAN Social Media Senior Specialist wrote on social media.
Other social media users who spotted the trophy have used the occasion to remind people that the U.S. men’s team has not won the most famous soccer tournament in the world.
“Trump parading the World Cup trophy that America has never won and will never win is funny to me,” a user said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The White House did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
The presence of a replica of the iconic trophy could signify the close relationship that Trump has had with FIFA President Gianni Infantino for years. Infantino congratulated then-President-elect Trump on social media in November following his win.
Infantino also posted on Instagram thanking Trump after attending his victory speech in Washington D.C. a day before the inauguration.
“What an incredible honour and privilege it is for FIFA and me, as FIFA President, to be acknowledged by President Donald J. Trump during his victory rally speech in Washington DC,” Infantino said.
The next day, the FIFA President was spotted among the crowd inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to see Trump’s inauguration.
On the same day, FIFA posted a press release in which Infantino continued to thank Trump for his support.
“I would like to thank President Trump, with whom I have a great friendship, and to assure him that, together, we will make not only America great again, but also the entire world, of course, because football – or soccer – unites the world,” the release said.
Trump is not the only member of the Trump family with ties to FIFA. In December, Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka Trump attended the drawing for the 2025 Club World Cup in Miami.
The close relationship between the two leaders comes as the U.S. will play host to two events organized by FIFA. The 2025 Club World Cup will see 32 clubs from across the world competing for the first time, hosted across 11 cities in the United States between June 14 and July 13.
In 2026, the U.S. will host the World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada. The U.S. will host most of the tournament’s 104 games, including 11 of the 16 host cities.
The 2026 World Cup will be the second time the U.S. will be involved in hosting the tournament. The last time FIFA brought the competition to the U.S. was in 1994, when Brazil won the championship.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.