Lionel Messi presented President Donald Trump with a bejeweled soccer ball at a White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami's MLS Cup win.
Trump praised Messi's achievements and avoided political topics when addressing him, though he discussed other geopolitical issues during the event.
Messi did not speak at the ceremony, which included other Inter Miami stars, MLS officials, and notable guests like Alex Rodriguez.
This marked the first time an MLS team was invited to the White House during Trump's presidency, highlighting the event's significance.
📖 Full Retelling
Lionel Messi bestowed President Donald Trump with a bejeweled pink soccer ball during a White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami for winning last year's MLS Cup. Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps in December for the Major League Soccer title, and the Argentinian superstar was named the league's MVP for the second consecutive season. "Leo, you came in and you won, and that's something very hard to do, very, very unusual and frankly, there's a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know, because you sort of expected to win, but almost nobody wins," Trump said. Messi, who entered the ceremony alongside Trump, joined Inter Miami in mid-2023 to great fanfare. He did not speak during the event, which turned political at times with Trump addressing the war with Iran, the situation in Venezuela, a possible future announcement regarding Cuba and even tariffs. Addressing Messi — who famously avoids speaking out on politics — the president stuck mostly to sports. "You could have gone anywhere in the world. You could have chosen any team in the world, and you chose to go to Miami. I don’t blame you. The weather’s extremely good. Do you go to Doral? You go to Doral and play golf?" Trump said, referencing a golf course he owns. "I just want to thank you for bringing us all on this ride, because you are hot and talented and a great person." Among the other Inter Miami stars in attendance were Luis Suarez, Tadeo Allende and Rodrigo De Paul. MLS Commissioner Don Garber sat next to Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House's World Cup task force. Also attending were retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and members of Trump's cabinet. Inter Miami was the first MLS team to be invited to the White House during Trump’s two terms in office. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, led Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022. The 38-year-old is expected to play again for Argentina this summer when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Soccer's global s
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (lit. 'Miami International Football Club'), commonly referred to as Inter Miami, is an American professional soccer club based in Miami. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami plays their home matches at Mi...
MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference Final. The MLS Cup winner is awarded the title o...
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has set numerous records for indiv...
# The White House
The **White House** is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at **1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW** in Washington, D.C., it stands as one of the most recognizable symbols of the American presidency and the United States governmen...
President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Born into a wealthy New York City family, Trump graduated from the...
- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on Inter Miami CF Inter Miami CF Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Meet President Donald Trump At White House Published Mar. 5, 2026 7:25 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Lionel Messi bestowed President Donald Trump with a bejeweled pink soccer ball during a White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami for winning last year's MLS Cup. Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps in December for the Major League Soccer title, and the Argentinian superstar was named the league's MVP for the second consecutive season. " Leo , you came in and you won, and that's something very hard to do, very, very unusual and frankly, there's a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know, because you sort of expected to win, but almost nobody wins," Trump said. Messi, who entered the ceremony alongside Trump, joined Inter Miami in mid-2023 to great fanfare. He did not speak during the event, which turned political at times with Trump addressing the war with Iran , the situation in Venezuela, a possible future announcement regarding Cuba and even tariffs. Addressing Messi — who famously avoids speaking out on politics — the president stuck mostly to sports. "You could have gone anywhere in the world. You could have chosen any team in the world, and you chose to go to Miami. I don’t blame you. The weather’s extremely good. Do you go to Doral? You go to Doral and play golf?" Trump said, referencing a golf course he owns. "I just want to thank you for bringing us all on this ride, because you are hot and talented and a great person." Among the other Inter Miami stars in attendance were Luis Suarez , Tadeo Allende and Rodrigo De Paul. MLS Commissioner Don Garber sat next to Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House's World Cup task force. Also attending were retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and members of Trump's cabinet. Inter Miami was the first MLS team to be invited to the White House during Trump’s two t...
