Diplomacy Before the Opening Whistle
A few hours before the Club World Cup semi-final, in which the Turin side routed Emirati club Al Ain 5–0, part of the Juventus delegation found itself not on the training ground but in the White House. The guests were accompanied by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and among the players were U.S. internationals Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, joined by former Old Lady captain Giorgio Chiellini. Formally the visit was ceremonial, yet it instantly acquired an unexpected political hue.
An Off-Topic Press Conference
Donald Trump used the lull between handshakes to stage an impromptu briefing. Instead of questions about the upcoming match, reporters rushed to discuss the escalating situation in the Middle East and Washington’s potential moves. The footballers, arranged as background scenery, looked as if they had wandered into someone else’s tactical set-up: they smiled—yet could not tell when the whistle would blow for them.
An Awkward Guard of Honour
While headlines about serious international issues echoed through the room, McKennie and Weah were obliged to feign interest, and Chiellini observed the scene with measured reserve. The tone of the discussion kept pulling journalists toward the broader geopolitical context; only Infantino attempted to steer attention back to the tournament, reminding everyone of football’s mission—to unite people even in turbulent times.
Football Takes Its Revenge
Back on the pitch, Juventus answered without words: an early brace from Dušan Vlahović, a solo run by Juan Cuadrado, a pinpoint strike from McKennie and a symbolic flourish from Weah. The result—a resounding 5–0 and a ticket to the final. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri defused the tension at the post-match press conference with a light joke: “Today we practised only one kind of politics—the politics of beautiful football.”
What Will Remain in the Chronicles
The day will be recorded for its goals, its statistics and even the Italians’ record-setting transitions out of defence. Yet the photographs of Juve’s stars standing behind the U.S. president, serving as a live backdrop to delicate talks, will circulate on social media for a long time. Sometimes the real offside happens not on the field but in the public arena, when sport and world affairs intersect on the same line—and the ball suddenly doesn’t matter.
