U.S. President Donald Trump hosted an official reception on Thursday, March 5, 2026, to honor Lionel Messi and Inter Miami for their landmark 2025 MLS Cup victory. During the East Room ceremony, the President pivoted from the team’s achievements to the perennial debate over football’s greatest players, notably praising Cristiano Ronaldo and the late Brazilian icon Pelé while standing alongside the Argentine superstar. The event celebrated Miami’s 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in last December’s final, marking the first time the franchise has secured the North American league title since its inception.
The visit served as a notable milestone for Messi, marking his first appearance at the White House since his arrival in the United States in 2023. This follows a previous high-profile footballing visit in November 2025, when his long-time rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, attended a state dinner as a guest of the administration. Trump utilized the occasion to share a personal anecdote regarding his son’s enthusiasm for the sport’s elite figures, specifically highlighting the presence of both the current Inter Miami captain and his Portuguese counterpart in the global spotlight.
“My son said, ‘Dad, do you know who’s going to be there today?’ I said, ‘No, I got a lot of things going on.’ He said, ‘Messi.’ So he’s a big soccer fan, but he’s a tremendous fan of yours. And a gentleman named Ronaldo. Cristiano is great. You’re great.”
Beyond modern comparisons, the President drew parallels between Messi and Pelé, whose tenure with the New York Cosmos in the 1970s is credited with first igniting American interest in professional soccer. Trump, who recalled watching the Brazilian legend play during his youth, playfully engaged the audience by questioning whether the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had finally eclipsed the legacy of the three-time World Cup champion. The lighthearted prompt drew cheers from the assembled crowd of teammates, staff, and dignitaries.
“You may be better than Pele. Who’s better?”
The ceremony concluded with Messi presenting the President with a commemorative, jewel-studded pink football, symbolizing the club’s “freedom to dream” mantra. As the squad prepares for their upcoming fixture against D.C. United, the visit underscores the massive cultural shift Inter Miami has catalyzed within the American sports landscape. While the political and sporting worlds briefly intersected, the focus remained on the unprecedented success of a team that has transitioned from a league newcomer to a championship-winning organization under Messi’s leadership.
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