Donald Trump names his football GOAT as U.S. president snubs Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo
AFNEWS reporter
Jul 14, 2025
Donald Trump names his football GOAT as U.S. president snubs Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo
Donald Trump revealed his footballing GOAT after the Club World Cup final. The U.S. president was in attendance at MetLife Stadium on Sunday alongside FIFA chief Gianni Infantino and First Lady Melania. During the final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, the American president was asked to choose his GOAT and he named Brazil icon Pele.
WHAT HAPPENED?
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Trump revealed that he watched the legendary Brazilian striker in action in the United States during his stint with the now-defunct New York Cosmos. The U.S. president chose Pele as his greatest of all time in football as he snubbed modern-day greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
WHAT TRUMP SAID
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Speaking to DAZN during the final, Trump said: "Many years ago, when I was young, they brought a player called Pele to play and he played for a team called the Cosmos. And this place was packed - it was an earlier version of this stadium and it was Pele. I don't want to date myself but that was a long time ago and I was a young guy so I came to watch Pele and he was fantastic. So probably I'll go old-fashioned - that's like saying Babe Ruth - and say Pele was so great."
WHAT NEXT?
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After hosting the revamped version of the Club World Cup this summer, the U.S. will now gear up to stage the World Cup next year. The global competition will be held in North America after 32 years, with Mexico and Canada also set to co-host.
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— AFNEWS reporter