NFL: Champions League silverware shines in San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl

European football's most prestigious prize rubbed shoulders with American sports royalty this week, as the UEFA Champions League trophy made its first-ever appearance at Super Bowl celebrations in San Francisco.

As part of its international outreach, the National Football League invited the Champions League to showcase its iconic trophy ahead of Sunday’s showdown between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks for the Lombardi Trophy.

The gleaming silverware was displayed in the media room, where global news outlets interviewed athletes from across the U.S. sports world, including NFL legends Michael Irvin and Donovan McNabb, as well as WWE star CM Punk.

Meanwhile, Champions League action continues across Europe. Following the group stage, last month’s draw set the two-stage knockout matches scheduled for February 17–25 for teams ranked ninth to 24th.

The draw produced some intriguing matchups. Real Madrid will face Benfica again after losing to the Portuguese side in their last group stage encounter, while last year’s French champion Paris Saint-Germain will take on fellow Ligue 1 side Monaco.

Winners of these two-stage matches will advance to join the top eight teams in the round of 16.

Reporting by Angelica Medina in San Francisco; Editing by Tom Hogue/Reuters