Donald Trump Rejects Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo As Football's GOAT

Published 28 June 2026 · sports

Donald Trump Rejects Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo As Football's GOAT Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 14:37 IST Donald Trump names Pelé as the

Donald Trump Rejects Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo As Football's GOAT Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 14:37 IST Donald Trump names Pelé as the greatest footballer he has seen, placing him above Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Rapid Read Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday (Picture credit: AP) United States President Donald Trump has said that the greatest football player he witnessed was Brazil’s Pelé, when asked who, between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he considers the greatest of all time. Both Messi and Ronaldo remain in the hunt for the ultimate prize in football as they chase the 2026 FIFA World Cup title.

The former is bidding to lead Argentina to consecutive World Cup wins, while Ronaldo is still pursuing the one major trophy that has eluded his glittering career with Portugal. Despite both men chasing history, Trump believes another footballer stands above Messi and Ronaldo in the debate over the greatest footballer of all time. Trump is expected to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as well, where he is all set to present the trophy to the eventual champions. While the debate over the greatest footballer of all time is often framed around Messi and Ronaldo, Trump had a different answer: Pelé. Trump said that watching the latter play in person convinced him that Pelé remains the greatest footballer of all time.

“Many years ago, when I was young, they brought a player named Pelé to play, and he played for a team called the Cosmos. And Steve Ross, a friend of mine, [former CEO of] Warner Communications, he was the inspiration behind [it]," Trump said while speaking to DAZN. “This place (MetLife Stadium) was packed. It was an earlier version of this stadium, but right here in the Meadowlands and it was Pele. I don’t want to date myself, but that was a long time ago," Trump added. “I was a young guy and I came to watch Pele and he was fantastic. And I would, I would say, probably I will go old-fashioned.

That is like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pele was so great," Trump said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: June 28, 2026, 14:34 IST News sports football Donald Trump Rejects Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo As Football's GOAT Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...