When it comes to the debate of football’s greatest of all time, names like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo usually pop up in a conversation. But President Donald Trump has a different answer. Trump named Brazilian football legend Pele as the GOAT in an interview with sports broadcaster DAZN. Trump shared a vivid memory of watching Pele play for the New York Cosmos at the Meadowlands during his young days.
“Many years ago, when I was young, they brought a player named Pele to play, and he played for a team called the Cosmos,” Trump said. “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 Pele.”
In the interview, he also drew a parallel with American baseball icon Babe Ruth. Trump said, “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… I’d say, probably, I’ll go old-fashioned. That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pelé was so great.”
Pele was named Edson Arantes do Nascimento at birth. The Brazilian striker scored 77 goals in 92 appearances for his national team and helped Brazil lift three FIFA World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970. He spent the majority of his club career with Santos before making a historic move to the United States with the New York Cosmos. Pele passed away in December 2022 at the age of 82.
Trump’s comments came during his appearance at the Club World Cup 2025 final. In the final, Chelsea FC defeated PSG, where he was booed by the crowd as he joined match officials on the pitch for the trophy presentation. The stadium’s music continued to play during the ceremony. Trump handed Chelsea their trophy and joined the team for a photo.
Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer, who netted two goals in the game, expressed surprise at Trump’s presence even after the presentation. “I knew he was going to be there, but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused,” Palmer said.