The President of the United States, Donald Trump stirred the ever-burning football GOAT debate on Sunday night as he declared Pelé, not Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, as the greatest footballer of all time.
Trump, who attended the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, made the comments during a halftime interview with DAZN Football.
At the time, Chelsea had stormed into a commanding 3-0 lead thanks to a brace from Cole Palmer and a strike from João Pedro.
As he reflected on the first 45 minutes of the encounter, Trump recalled his youthful days and a moment in U.S. football history that clearly left a mark on him.
“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 said, referencing Pelé’s stint with the New York Cosmos from 1975 to 1977.
“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.”
Drawing a comparison to American sports legends, Trump added: “I’d say, probably go old-fashioned. That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pelé was so great.”
His remarks instantly sidelined the usual contenders, Messi and Ronaldo, in a debate that has long divided fans, pundits, and players around the world.
Beyond football legends, Trump also seemed genuinely taken by the atmosphere and quality of play in the Club World Cup final, calling it “a tremendous sport.”
“I’m having a really great time,” he told DAZN during the halftime break. “This is a tremendous sport.”
Chelsea went on to win the match 3-0, sealing a dominant performance and clinching the title.
The post Donald Trump Names His Goat In Football After Watching FIFA Club World Cup appeared first on Naija News.