Trump, Coldplay And Red Carpets - Was This Superbowl Or Soccer?

It was much for illustration nan build-up to nan Super Bowl than a shot lucifer betwixt 2 of Europe's biggest clubs.

The countdown to Sunday's Club World Cup last betwixt Chelsea and reigning European champions Paris St-Germain was colourful, captivating and perchance a small confusing for shot fans extracurricular nan USA.

A subject colour guard, a melodramatic flyover and a capacity from Robbie Williams - each successful beforehand of US president Donald Trump - were conscionable immoderate of nan pre-match highlights astatine nan MetLife Stadium successful New Jersey.

There was truthful overmuch going on, successful fact, that nan crippled itself only sewage nether measurement astatine 20:08 BST - 8 minutes aft its scheduled kick-off time.

BBC Sport tries to make consciousness of it all.

Officially, Sunday's pre-match action was divided into 3 parts.

After nan 'countdown to nan final' - featuring, among different things, a drumming show and a immense inflatable exemplary of nan Club World Cup trophy - Williams and popular prima Laura Pausini performed Fifa's caller charismatic anthem, Desire.

This was followed by a tribute to nan tourney hosts, including nan US nationalist anthem, a colour guard, a subject flyover and a dazzling firework display.

When nan 2 sets of players had yet entered nan pitch, American ringing announcer Michael Buffer delivered his iconic "let's get fresh to rumble!" statement earlier kick-off - arsenic has been nan lawsuit passim nan competition.

There was besides a reddish carpet for celebrities, ex-players and politicians to participate nan MetLife Stadium earlier nan match, pinch notable attendees including American movie head Spike Lee, erstwhile Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and popular prima Rita Ora - arsenic good arsenic Trump.

There was plentifulness much to travel astatine half-time, aft Chelsea had stunned Luis Enrique's broadside by racing into a 3-0 lead.

Fifa's first-ever half-time show included colourful performances from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and chap singers J Balvin, Doja Cat and Tems - each connected an enormous, high-tech shape that was built supra nan arena successful nan build-up to nan last earlier being placed astatine nan apical of nan stadium's precocious tier, conscionable nether nan roof.

This was to debar damaging nan transportation astatine nan interval of specified an important game.

It took six semi-trucks to transportation each nan required material, including 40,000 pounds of gear, scenery and structural trusses.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, nan show delayed nan kick-off to nan 2nd half. PSG's players stood astir connected nan transportation while nan show reached its conclusion, while Chelsea's only re-emerged a fewer minutes later.

The action yet sewage backmost nether measurement 24 minutes aft nan half-time whistle had sounded - but not earlier Trump had had his say.

Before PSG kicked disconnected nan 2nd half, DAZN said - very concisely - to DAZN newsman Emily Austin, saying: "I'm having a really awesome time. Tremendous sport."

When he wasn't being asked to stock his thoughts connected nan beautiful game, Trump watched nan action up successful nan stands alongside Fifa supremo Gianni Infantino.

Given that nan last was played a twelvemonth to nan time since nan assassination effort connected Trump successful Pennsylvania, nan heightened information astatine MetLife Stadium came arsenic nary surprise.

The United States Secret Service were equipped and connected location, pinch respective snipers positioned connected nan tile of nan MetLife Stadium.

Official sources were reluctant to corroborate rumours that Trump was being prepared for an question and reply pinch DAZN, which was teased concisely astatine half-time and shown successful afloat aft full-time.

BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella said earlier kick-off: "It took doubly arsenic agelong for maine to scope my position successful nan stadium pinch accrued filtering and checks.

"There seems to beryllium a much tense cognition from nan information astatine nan 82,500-seater arena."

The post-match action began successful lively manner arsenic some sets of players became progressive successful a brawl aft nan last whistle, but erstwhile tempers had calmed, it was clip for Messrs Trump and Infantino to manus retired immoderate awards.

Real Madrid's Gonzalo Garcia collected nan apical scorer prize, PSG's Desire Doue was named young subordinate of nan tournament, Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez picked up nan aureate mitt award, while Cole Palmer - nan Blues' two-goal leader successful nan last –was named nan subordinate of nan tournament.

After nan 2 sets of players had collected their medals, Trump and Infantino presented nan Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea skipper Reece James.

According to Fifa, nan Club World Cup trophy is inspired by nan periodic array and historical aureate records sent into abstraction aboard nan Voyager probes.

It tin besides beryllium 'opened' pinch a typical key, which only Infantino is permitted to use.

Perhaps to nan alleviation of skipper James and his Chelsea team-mates, nan trophy was already successful its 'open' position erstwhile it was handed to nan Blues' skipper.

With Trump successful adjacent proximity, James lifted nan tremendous trophy into nan East Rutherford entity arsenic nan Chelsea celebrations began successful earnest - astir 3 hours aft kick-off.