Trump Crowns Pelé Football’s Greatest Ever, Snubs Messi, Ronaldo
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has added his voice to the enduring debate over football’s greatest player of all time choosing Brazilian legend Pelé over modern icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Trump made the declaration on Sunday night at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he attended the final of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup. English club Chelsea delivered a commanding performance, defeating European champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0.
During a post-match interview with DAZN, Trump was asked to name his all-time football great. “Many years ago, when I was young, they brought a player named Pelé to play, and he played for a team called the Cosmos,” Trump recalled, referencing the Brazilian’s iconic stint with the New York Cosmos in the now-defunct NASL from 1975 to 1977.
“He was the inspiration we had, and this place was packed,” Trump said. “It was an earlier version of this stadium, but right here in the Meadowlands, and it was Pelé. I don’t want to date myself, but that was a long time ago. I was a young guy, and I came to watch Pelé, and he was fantastic.”
He added, “I’d say, probably go old-fashioned. That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pelé was so great.”
Trump has previously positioned both the Club World Cup and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada as pivotal elements of what he calls a “Golden Age of America,” which he hopes to oversee during a second term in office.
Notably, the final of the 2026 World Cup will also be held at the MetLife Stadium and will coincide with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
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