WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump welcomed Lionel Messi and Inter Miami to the White House on Thursday to honor the club’s 2025 MLS Cup title.
Messi and his teammates met Trump at the White House in Washington as part of a championship celebration, an appearance covered by ESPN and USA Today.
Trump welcomes Messi
Trump said his son Barron alerted him to Messi’s visit and offered a public greeting, details reported by Reuters and ESPN, with BBC Sport also noting his remarks.
Inter Miami won the 2025 MLS Cup in December, a championship cited by BBC, ESPN and The Guardian as the reason for the White House salute.
Gifts and ceremony
Messi presented Trump with a pink Inter Miami soccer ball during the ceremony, and the team also handed over a jersey, as Reuters and ESPN reported.
Messi entered the East Room alongside Trump and stood with teammates during the remarks, according to ESPN, USA Today and Reuters.
Context for U.S. soccer
The visit came as the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico, a point noted by Reuters and AP.
Trump also referenced soccer legends like Pele and Cristiano Ronaldo while praising Messi, according to Reuters, BBC and ESPN.
Additional Details Reported
- Reuters and USA Today reported that Trump joked about the team’s “good-looking” players and received a jersey with the number 47, along with a watch.
- AP and ESPN said it was Messi’s first White House visit.
- AP, BBC and USA Today reported that Inter Miami will remain in the area to play D.C. United on Saturday.
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Image Attribution ▾
Image: “North Facade White House” by Nishkid64 (retouched by Patrickneil), Public Domain. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: Public Domain. Modifications: Cropped to 16:9 and resized to 1920×1080.
