New York, 18 July (H.S.): Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, United States President Donald Trump praised Argentina’s star footballer Lionel Messi, Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo, and England captain Harry Kane, saying that great players are born with a unique talent that sets them apart from others.

Speaking at an event held in New York on Friday ahead of Sunday’s (local time) World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, Trump said, “Tonight we are all gathered here in New York because on Sunday there will be a final match between two great teams, Spain and Argentina. I saw Messi’s pass in the semifinal. He was under intense pressure from a top defender, yet he moved to the right and delivered a pass that was almost perfectly accurate. I would say it missed perfection by only about a quarter of an inch. That moment changed the course of the match. It was truly incredible.”

He further said, “Great players do things like this repeatedly. They are born with something extra, a special talent. Ronaldo is also one of those players. I have known him for years, and he is a great person.”

Trump also praised England captain Harry Kane, saying, “England has a fantastic player in Harry Kane. I have even played golf with him. He is a great player. I think England made a mistake by using him in a defensive role. The team was leading, but it placed its best player in defence instead of keeping him in an attacking position.”

It may be noted that during the semifinal against Argentina, England head coach Thomas Tuchel made several defensive changes after his team took the lead. The team shifted to a five-defender formation, after which Argentina mounted continuous pressure and scored twice in the closing stages to win the match 2-1.

Final to Witness Messi-Yamal Showdown

In the FIFA World Cup final, defending champions Argentina will face European champions Spain. The match is also being viewed as an exciting contest between veteran superstar Lionel Messi and Spain’s young sensation Lamine Yamal.

Spain secured their place in the final after defeating France 2-0 in the semifinal, while Argentina reached the World Cup final for the second consecutive time after defeating England 2-1.

Ahead of the final, Messi has been in outstanding form with two assists and continues to lead the race for the Golden Boot award.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar