US President Donald Trump attended the MetLife Stadium to witness the Club World Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, where the English side were crowned champions with a 3-0 victory. The president watched the match from the VIP box and was one of the figures who was at the awards ceremony to present medals and be part of the celebrations.
In addition to presenting the trophy to the London club and joining in their celebrations, he confessed who he believes is the best footballer of all time. In an interview for the official Club World Cup channel, DZN, the US president recalled his years when he used to watch soccer in the 1970s and 1980s. When asked who his favorite footballer of all time is, Trump did not hesitate in his response.
Who is the best footballer of all time for Donald Trump?
To the reporter’s express question, the president of the United States answered in his own style: “Many years ago when I was young, they brought in a player named Pele, who played at Cosmos and this place was full, it was an old version of this stadium and it was because of Pele” Trump replied. After recalling the Brazilian’s time in the old North American league, Trump told his anecdote about why he “leans more towards the traditional.”
“It was a long time ago. I was young and I came to see Pele. He was fantastic. He was the inspiration we had with Steve Ross, a friend of mine from Warner Communications”. Pele ended his professional soccer career in the United States. From 1975 to 1980 he played with the New York Cosmos, where he played 64 official matches and scored 37 goals. His greatest career was with Santos of Brazil, the team he loved, where he played from 1956 to 1974. There he won six Serie A (now Brasileirao) titles and twice the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.
Donald Trump compared Pele to one of America’s greatest sportsmen
For Donald Trump, Pele’s arrival in New York was very important. Not only did it put the NY Cosmos on the radar of fans, but it was a great boost for soccer in the United States. He compared his contribution to one of the greatest sports stars in his country. “He was a great player, one of the best I’ve ever seen and although it’s old-fashioned, it’s like saying he was on the level of Babe Ruth. Pele was great,” he concluded.
The next edition of the Club World Cup is still a mystery. Everything indicates that the next host of the FIFA tournament will be Qatar in 2029. However, countries such as Brazil and Spain are waiting for a response after having submitted their bids officially.
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