Former England international footballer Joe Cole has expressed skepticism about the authenticity of the Apollo moon landings, saying he remains unconvinced they actually took place. The 44-year-old, who earned 56 caps representing England and played for clubs including Chelsea and West Ham, shared his views in an interview with FourFourTwo magazine.

Cole said he would welcome the opportunity to speak with Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission in 1969, to gain clarity on the matter. “I’d want to sit down with him and get to the bottom of these moon landings,” Cole remarked. “I’m not sold either way and need convincing.” He added that he is open to being persuaded otherwise and would appreciate hearing Armstrong’s perspective on the controversy, saying, “I don’t mind being talked round, which is why I’d be more than happy for him to tell me how silly I’m being.”

Armstrong, who passed away in 2012, led the Apollo 11 mission, which was watched live by approximately 650 million viewers worldwide. Despite this, some conspiracy theories have alleged that the United States staged the moon landings as part of its space race with the Soviet Union, claims that have been widely debunked by experts and historians.

Cole’s comments reflect a broader phenomenon of public skepticism about historic space achievements, even as official records and scientific evidence support the reality of the Apollo missions.