US President Donald Trump has entered the long-running debate over football’s greatest of all time, backing Brazilian legend Pelé over modern icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking during the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Trump shared his admiration for Pelé, who played in the United States during the twilight of his career.
“Many years ago, when I was young, they brought a player named Pelé to play for a team called the Cosmos,” Trump told DAZN in a sideline interview. “He was the inspiration we had, and this place was packed. It was an earlier version of this stadium, but right here in the Meadowlands, and it was Pelé.”
While acknowledging that his choice might seem old-fashioned, Trump drew a parallel with baseball legend Babe Ruth, saying, “I’d say probably go old-fashioned. That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pelé was so great.”
Pelé, who played for New York Cosmos from 1975 to 1977, is widely regarded as one of the game’s all-time greats, having won three FIFA World Cups with Brazil and scoring over 1,000 career goals.
Trump’s comments have sparked renewed conversation on social media, particularly for omitting both Messi and Ronaldo—who have dominated the modern game with record-breaking performances and multiple Ballon d’Or wins.
