"I’ll go old-fashioned – that’s like saying Babe Ruth" - Donald Trump picks GOAT as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fail to receive mention

United States President Donald Trump has named late Brazilian footballing legend Pele as his greatest player of all time, snubbing modern-day icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Trump made his pick after Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday, June 13.

In an interview with DAZN at the MetLife Stadium, Trump drew from personal nostalgia to make his choice, referencing Pele’s time with the now-defunct New York Cosmos during the twilight of the Brazilian’s legendary career in the 1970s.

“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 Steve Ross, a friend of mine, Warner Communications, he was the inspiration behind. And this place was packed – it was an earlier version of this stadium [the MetLife Stadium], and it was Pele,” Trump recalled. “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.”

Pele, who passed away in December 2022 at the age of 82, remains one of the most revered names in football history. He won three FIFA World Cups (1958, 1962, and 1970), a feat yet to be matched by any other player. He is widely renowned for his dazzling dribbling and goal-scoring prowess.

Despite Pele’s legacy, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are also considered two of the greatest players to have played the sport. The pair have won the most Ballon d’Or in football history, sharing it 13 times between them.

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Donald Trump’s glowing statement on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

While Donald Trump might have named Pele as his football GOAT, the United States president held Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in high esteem. In the same interview with DAZN, Trump heaped praise on Messi, insisting that the U.S. is lucky to have him. He said (via Tribuna):

"Messi, yes, he’s a great star, probably the biggest soccer star on this planet. Our country is lucky to have him playing here every week."

Back in 2018, Trump issued a seven-word response when he was speaking with Portugal president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa during the latter’s visit to the White House about Cristiano Ronaldo. He said (via CNN):

“…They say he is the greatest player”

Trump then asked Sousa:

"So, tell me, how good a player is he? Are you impressed?"

In response, Sousa said:

"I’m very much impressed. He’s the best player [in] the world."

Lionel Messi moved to the United States following his move from PSG to Inter Miami in 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Edited by Nived Zenith