No Messi or Ronaldo: Trump names his greatest footballer of all time

President Donald Trump of the United States has shared his thoughts on who he believes is the greatest football player in history.

During the Club World Final held on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Trump watched as Chelsea triumphed over Paris Saint-Germain, winning 3-0 in the inaugural expanded Club World Cup.

When asked after the match on a DAZN broadcast to reveal his all-time favorite footballer, Trump declared Pelé to be the best ever.

He also reflected on Pelé’s impact in the U.S., particularly during his time with the New York Cosmos in the now-defunct NASL from 1975 until his retirement in 1977.

Trump remarked, “Long ago, when I was younger, they signed a player named Pelé to play for a team called the Cosmos.

“He became our hero, and the stadium was packed. It wasn’t this exact stadium but was located in the Meadowlands, and it featured Pelé.

“I don’t want to reveal my age, but that was quite some time back. I was quite young when I came to see Pelé play, and he was amazing. I might be old-fashioned, like saying Babe Ruth, but I would definitely say Pelé was outstanding.”

Trump has openly stated his desire to use this year’s Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup as representations of a “Golden Age of America” if he returns to office for another term.

The final of the 2026 World Cup will occur at the same stadium, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence.