Lionel Messi was left stunned after Donald Trump uttered two sentences during the White House ceremony celebrating the MLS championship.
On 6 March 2026, following the event where U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Argentine star Lionel Messi along with Inter Miami players and staff to the White House to celebrate their MLS Cup 2025 victory on Thursday, 5 March.
Lionel Messi and Jorge Mas, co-owner of Inter Miami, presented a pink soccer ball signed by the team to President Donald Trump, as well as a pink jersey with the number 47 and the name TRUMP printed on it, along with watches from Mas and Javier Mascherano for the U.S. leader.
Donald Trump joined Inter Miami in celebrating their first-ever MLS Cup championship in the club's history last season. However, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami players, including Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, who attended the event, were left stunned and uncertain how to react after hearing Trump's welcoming speech.
During his speech, Donald Trump addressed the ongoing conflict with Iran amid tensions in the Middle East, saying, "The U.S. military, together with our great ally Israel, is relentlessly destroying the enemy like never before. We are destroying Iran’s missiles."
Trump spoke these words while Messi stood beside him. Then he turned to the Argentine World Cup-winning captain and said, "My son Barron asked me, 'Dad, do you know who is coming today?' I said no, I have many things to do."
"He said, 'Messi!' He is a huge fan. He’s your fan. He thinks you are a great person, and I think you probably met him recently."
Then Donald Trump mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese captain and Messi’s rival over the past two decades, saying, "He’s a huge football fan, but he’s a big fan of you and also a gentleman named Ronaldo."
Lionel Messi listened quietly to Donald Trump before they shook hands and Messi presented memorabilia from Inter Miami to the U.S. president.
Previously, Donald Trump invited Cristiano Ronaldo to visit the White House in November. Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi league, and his fiancée Georgina Rodriguez attended a lavish dinner attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, along with world leaders and other prominent figures.
