By Amy Tennery and Trevor Hunnicutt
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., July 13 (Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump paid homage to soccer great Pele after being met with boos and cheers from the crowd at the Club World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Chelsea walloped Paris St Germain 3-0 to close out the newly expanded version of the tournament, designed as a glittering curtain-raiser for the 2026 World Cup that the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada. “The Donald” must have felt like a hamster in a cage at that point as the fans booed and cheered his presence at the event.
Trump’s problems follow him to the Club World Cup
Trump was seated next to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino in box seats at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where fans booed him when he appeared briefly on the jumbotron during the U.S. national anthem. He was on his feet in the same VIP suite after Chelsea completed their thrashing of Paris St Germain, pumping his fist as congratulatory music blared.
Trump was met with boos from the crowd again as he posed with the match referees on the pitch during the trophy ceremony, as organisers kept the music pumping in the stadium. He handed Chelsea their trophy and stood in the middle of the players for their team photo and celebration. Asked in a TV interview who he believed was soccer’s “GOAT,” Trump named Brazilian icon Pele, who helped spark interest in the sport in the U.S. in his brief time playing for the New York Cosmos in the fledgling North American Soccer League in 1975.
Trump hails Pele as the greatest of all time in soccer
“I came to watch Pele, and he was fantastic,” Trump told broadcaster DAZN. “That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pele was so great.” Trump has embraced sport’s super-sized spotlight during his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in February. In May, he announced D.C. as the host for the 2027 NFL Draft from the Oval Office. He regularly attends UFC and has said he wants to host such fights at the White House next year.
FIFA announced last week that it had opened an office in New York’s Trump Tower ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico. A record 48 national teams are set to take part. His appearance at MetLife came a day after he threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union, an escalation of a trade war that has angered U.S. allies and rattled investors. The problems have come thick and fast for the Club World Cup this year.
The Club World Cup still holds the hope for the sport of soccer, despite Trump’s actions
The event was a success in the grand scope of things. Soccer has made leaps and bounds in recent years in the United States. At a grassroots level, the sport is immensely popular, with soccer moms all over the country clogging up the roads with minivans full of overly excited kids. Despite those positive signs, the sport of soccer is yet to reach the heights of other sports in America. The event was topped off by Trump standing on the stage with the winners, Chelsea, despite being led off the stage by officials. How will the event affect future soccer games in the United States? The hope for all will be that the United States will embrace soccer.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery and Trevor Hunnicutt in East Rutherford, New Jersey, additional reporting by Fernando Kallas in East Rutherford, New Jersey; editing by Diane Craft)
