United States president Donald Trump has claimed he 'had a little bit more speed' than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo while recalling his football playing days.
Donald trump's big and honest claim
Trump was present at the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Friday, December 5. As he walked the red carpet alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Trump dropped one of the most amazing moments of the night.
In an interview with Futbol RCN and Noticias RCN, Donald Trump revealed that he once played but admitted he was not at the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
When questioned if he ever played football, Trump responded:
“Believe it or not, I did (play football), and I loved it. I was OK, I wouldn't say I was Ronaldo or Messi. I was a little bit short of them (...) had a little bit more speed, but I was fine. I loved playing football.”
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's legendary career
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two players that are usually termed as a level of greatness in football because of their longevity and achievement. Together, they hold the record for the most number of Ballon d'Or awards, having shared it 13 times.
Both are expected to be competing in next year's FIFA World Cup set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. While Ronaldo has confirmed that the upcoming FIFA World Cup will be his last, Messi has yet to decide if he will lead Argentina to reclaim the trophy.
Donald Trump expresses admiration for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
In another interview during the red carpet of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, Donald Trump labelled Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as 'great.' While speaking with DSPORTS, the United States president was questioned about Messi, to which he responded:
“Messi is great, and Ronaldo is also.”
He then recollected his recent meeting with Ronaldo at the White House. The Portuguese player was a part of the Saudi delegation led by the Saudi Crown Prince that attended a white House dinner on Tuesday, November 18.
“I met with him at the White House and he was fantastic. We talked about football—what's football depending on your definition. He was here and he's fantastic,” Trump added.
While Trump has expressed his admiration for Messi and Ronaldo on various occasions, he ignored both players when asked to pick the greatest player of all time (GOAT). Trump picked late Brazilian legend Pele as his football GOAT, drawing from personal nostalgia to make his choice.