Between them, Ronaldo and Messi boast a combined 13 Ballon d’Or titles, having dominated the global football scene throughout the late 2000s and the following decade. ..Continue Reading
Ronaldo has played for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, where he still features today.
Now 40, the Portuguese forward has netted 800 goals in 1,062 club appearances, winning league titles in England, Spain, and Italy, along with five Champions League trophies between United and Real.
He’s also lifted international silverware with Portugal, including a European Championship and two UEFA Nations League triumphs—the latest coming this summer after beating Spain.
Messi’s career has seen him represent Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and currently Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
The Argentine maestro has four Champions League wins to his name, all with Barça, and multiple domestic titles in both La Liga and Ligue 1.
At 38, Messi has also led Argentina to major success, securing two Copa América titles and a dramatic World Cup victory in 2022 after defeating France on penalties.
His current club statistics stand at 771 goals in 951 matches—and counting.
Now playing in the U.S., Messi is a part of the growing MLS spotlight, and the country just hosted the FIFA Club World Cup, which ended with Chelsea defeating PSG 3–0 in the final.
This tournament serves as a warm-up for the upcoming World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
When asked by DAZN to name the greatest footballer of all time, President Trump bypassed the usual suspects.
Rather than picking Ronaldo or Messi, he declared Brazilian icon Pelé as his personal choice for football’s GOAT.
He said: “Many years ago, when I was young, they brought a player named Pele to play, and he played for a team called the Cosmos.
“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.
“I don’t want to date myself, but that was a long time ago. I was a young guy, and I came to watch Pele and he was fantastic. And I would I’d say, probably I’ll go old fashioned.
“That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pele was so great.”
Pele — whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento — devoted the bulk of his club career to Santos in Brazil before ending his playing days with the New York Cosmos.
It was his remarkable performances for Brazil’s national team that made him a global icon, netting 77 goals across 92 matches.
He played a crucial role in guiding his country to three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970, and he passed away at 82 years old in December 2022.
