The US president welcomed Cristiano Ronaldo to Washington D.C. this week
Cristiano Ronaldo’s visit to the White House on Tuesday reignited one of football’s most familiar debates, after an official post from the White House’s X account referred to the Portuguese star and Donald Trump as “Two GOATs.”
The post immediately drew attention, not only because Ronaldo was seated prominently during Trump’s dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but because Lionel Messi now plays his club football in the United States with Inter Miami and was not mentioned at all.
Ronaldo was among the high-profile guests at a glitzy East Room gathering that also included business leaders such as Apple’s Tim Cook and Tesla founder Elon Musk.
Trump highlighted Ronaldo during his remarks, recalling that he had introduced the 40-year-old forward to his son Barron.
The president joked that the meeting made his son “respect his father a little bit more.” The White House then amplified the moment online with its “Two GOATs” caption.
Messi, now the face of MLS, is arguably the most visible footballer in the United States and remains one of the sport’s biggest global figures.
Many fans questioned why the administration chose to publicly label Ronaldo as a GOAT while overlooking Messi, especially with the 2026 World Cup approaching and US soccer authorities heavily invested in promoting the Argentine’s presence in the country.
Others pointed out the inconsistency that Trump, in a previous interview, named Pele as his personal greatest player of all time rather than Ronaldo or Messi.
Ronaldo’s appearance also carried diplomatic weight. He has become a central figure in Saudi Arabia’s football project since joining Al Nassr on a massive contract at the end of 2022, later signing an extension with a club majority-owned by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund.
His presence at a White House event honouring the Crown Prince symbolised the increasingly intertwined political, financial and sporting links between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
It was also a rare visit to the US for Ronaldo, who last played in the country a decade ago.