On Thursday, the White House briefly changed the atmosphere of politics by bringing it closer to sports. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, welcomed Lionel Messi and his team Inter Miami CF as champions of Major League Soccer.
There was a warm greeting, a few words, and a smile between the president and the world champion from Argentina.
"You came and you won. This is very difficult," Trump told Messi.
Trump showed it to Messi, according to the newspaper Olé, that his son “is a fan of yours and Cristiano Ronaldo”. The ceremony, a tribute to Messi’s team after the historic title, was held in the East Room of the White House and brought together Inter Miami executives as well as media representatives. With humor, the American president asked those present who is better, Messi or Pelé, and most of the room (including several players) answered: Leo.
Many interpreted this ceremony as a sign of the ever-growing importance of soccer in the United States in recent years and the role that the figure of Messi has had in this process since his arrival in MLS.
This was the Argentine "10"'s first visit to the White House and the first face-to-face meeting between Messi and Trump. Both the footballer and the US president attended the American Business Forum in November, an event organized by Trump that was also attended by Argentine President Javier Miel, actor Will Smith, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and former tennis players Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal. However, it is not clear whether Messi and Trump met directly during that event held in downtown Miami.
In January 2025, during the final days of Joe Biden's presidency, Messi was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. However, the Inter Miami and Argentina captain was unable to attend the farewell ceremony at the White House due to scheduling conflicts.
Inter Miami CF, who won the MLS Cup last December, are set to play against DC United at Audi Field on Saturday in a match from the third week of the American championship. ⚽
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