Featured Image Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Football
James Moorhouse
Topics: Donald Trump, Football
Talking about launching missile strikes on Iran with President Donald Trump in the White House probably wasn't on the Juventus squad's to-do list right now, but it ended up happening.
The squad, which included US players Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie, as well as manager Igor Tudor, arrived at The White House in Washington D.C. on Wednesday (18 June) ahead of the Italian giants' FIFA Club World Cup fixture against Al-Ain in the US capital.
And it's been a busy few weeks for Trump as he's been dealing with the riots in LA as well as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, so he was also taking a few questions from reporters.
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Strangely, the 79-year-old President barely brought up football and instead started discussing a potential attack on Iran, with the team just awkwardly standing behind him.
"You may have to fight. And maybe it'll end very quickly but there's no way you can allow, whether you have to fight or not, Iran to have a nuclear weapon." Trump told reporters.
"Because the entire world would blow up, [I'm] not going to let that happen."
Juventus were there for 16 minutes, and Weah has since spoken out about the experience - and it was all a 'bit weird' for him.
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He said (via The New York Times): “It was all a surprise to me, honestly — they told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go. 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.
“I guess it was a cool experience, obviously, being in the White House… as the first time, it’s always wonderful, but I’m not one for the politics, so it wasn’t that exciting."
The Iranian-Israeli conflict wasn't the only thing on Trump's mind, however.
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He did briefly acknowledge their upcoming game, claiming that it was 'totally sold out'. He then asked for McKennie and Weah.
“We have two great American players. Where are you, my American players? Fantastic, so good luck,” he said, shaking their hands. I hope you’re going to be the best two players on the field."
"Could a woman make your team, fellas?" he asked, to which he received no response.
General manager, Damien Comolli, said they had a good women's team, and Trump replied: "But they should be playing with women."
He then responded that they were being 'very diplomatic'.
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Seemingly it didn't impact the Juventus players' mindsets too much as they went on to thrash Al-Ain 5-0 later that day, although neither of the US internationals were on the scoresheet.