Former U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed in on the long-running debate about the greatest footballer of all time and his answer may surprise many.
While attending the Club World Cup final on Sunday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Trump named Brazil’s legendary footballer Pelé as his all-time greatest player.
Speaking during a post-match interview with DAZN, Trump said: “Many years ago, when I was young, they brought a player named Pelé to play, and he played for a team called the Cosmos.”
He recalled watching Pelé play at the old Meadowlands stadium during his time with the New York Cosmos in the 1970s.
“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. 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,” Trump said.
Trump compared Pelé’s greatness to Babe Ruth’s impact on baseball, saying: “That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pelé was so great.”
Trump’s remarks came after Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final of the newly expanded Club World Cup. The match was seen as a build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host, with the final expected to be played at the same stadium.
Trump has previously said he wants to use major sporting events like the Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup to promote what he calls a “Golden Age of America” if re-elected.
