President Trump stirs controversy by suggesting change in name of soccer in the US

Trump - Ảnh 1. — Mr. Trump (right) at the trophy ceremony - Photo: REUTERS

The interview with President Trump was conducted by DAZN - the broadcaster that owns the rights to broadcast the FIFA Club World Cup.

In this interview, the host asked Mr. Trump whether the name of soccer in the US should be changed from "soccer" to "football".

This is a significant difference between the US and the rest of the world when it comes to the king of sports . While the rest of the world calls soccer football, in the US, football is used to refer to "American football" - similar to rugby.

Surprisingly, Mr. Trump is very supportive of this name change. "I think we can do it, change the name from soccer to football. If we can, I will sign an executive order right away," Mr. Trump said.

His statement quickly went viral. On social media, the phrase “Trump rename soccer” was among the top searches in the US and Europe.

With the 2026 World Cup set to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the proposal has sparked a major debate about the name of the king sport in this North American country.

The use of football in the United States to refer to rugby has caused a lot of confusion and also reflects the cultural gap in sports between the United States and the rest of the world .

“If America wants to integrate global sports, changing the name is a small symbol but has great value,” Mr. Trump emphasized.

Although the statement was humorous, many opinions said that Mr. Trump was trying to probe public reaction.

Newspapers such as The Sun (UK) and Time (USA) commented that Mr. Trump's proposal could be part of a media strategy to prepare for the 2026 election campaign.

In addition, Mr. Trump also expressed his love for football when praising the legend Pelé as the "GOAT" (best of all time) and said that this sport is a tool for "global unity".

“We need to do more to get Americans to love soccer. The 2026 World Cup will be a golden opportunity,” the White House chief said in a post-event video .

Immediately after the proposal, the American online community was divided into two factions. One side agreed, saying that calling soccer “football” would help Americans become closer to the international community.

Others objected, arguing that it was impossible to change a name that had been used for centuries, especially when football was still the number one sport in America.

Former US coach Bruce Arena commented: "This is a cultural story, not a legal one. If we want to change, we have to start with education and communication, we can't use decrees."

Meanwhile, The Athletic wrote: "This proposal is not unreasonable, but it will take many years to become a reality."

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tong-thong-trump-gay-tranh-cai-khi-neu-y-dinh-doi-cach-goi-mon-bong-da-o-my-20250716001833421.htm