Lionel Messi better than Pele: Donald Trump opens debate with bold claim at Inter Miami’s White House visit as 2025 MLS champions
A celebration of sporting excellence inside the White House quickly turned into one of soccer’s most intriguing talking points. United States president Donald Trump welcomed Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates to commemorate the club’s historic 2025 MLS Cup triumph, a milestone moment for the franchise and for soccer in the US.
While the ceremony celebrated the Herons’ remarkable rise in Major League Soccer, it also produced a moment that immediately sparked debate across the global soccer community. The comment revived one of soccer’s oldest arguments, a comparison between generations of legends. Inter Miami’s visit to Washington followed the club’s first MLS Cup victory, secured in December after defeating Vancouver Whitecaps in the final.
The triumph marked a historic step for a club founded only a few years earlier and co-owned by David Beckham. The White House ceremony continued the long-standing American tradition of honoring championship teams. Players, staff members, and club executives gathered for the event, which celebrated the season that transformed Inter Miami into one of the most recognizable teams in world soccer.
Messi, who joined the club in mid-2023, has been central to that transformation. His impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. According to season statistics, the Argentine superstar recorded 43 goals and 25 assists in 49 appearances during the 2025 campaign, leading Inter Miami to the league title and earning the MLS Most Valuable Player award for a second consecutive season, the first player in league history to achieve that feat.
During the ceremony, Messi presented Trump with a bejeweled pink soccer ball, symbolizing the club’s iconic kit and its growing cultural influence. Trump addressed the Argentine directly while praising his achievements. “Leo, you came in and you won, and that’s something very hard to do, very, very unusual,” Trump said.
The moment that sparked a global debate
Midway through the ceremony, Trump shifted the conversation toward soccer history, recalling his memories of watching Brazilian legend Pele during the 1970s. The Brazilian famously played for the New York Cosmos between 1975 and 1977, a period widely credited with helping popularize soccer in the United States.
That memory led Trump to deliver the remark that quickly spread around the world. “I shouldn’t say this because you’ll say I’m old, but I watched Pele play,” he said. “You may be better than Pele… Who’s better?”
The comment reignited one of soccer’s most enduring debates: whether Messi’s achievements surpass those of the Brazilian icon. The president then appeared to make his own stance clear. “I agree. I think he is.” Within minutes, the statement had spread across social media and sports networks, adding a political voice to the long-running GOAT (Greatest of All Time) discussion.
Praise for Messi’s decision to join Inter Miami
Trump also used the occasion to highlight Messi’s decision to continue his career in the United States rather than returning to Europe or moving elsewhere. “You could have gone anywhere in the world. You could have chosen any team in the world, and you chose Miami,” he said. “I don’t blame you. The weather’s extremely good.”
While Messi remained silent during the ceremony, his presence alone reflected the enormous influence he has had on American soccer since arriving.