TRUMP HOSTS MESSI, INTER MIAMI AT WHITE HOUSE AFTER MLS CUP TRIUMPH (PHOTOS)
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By: Sefiu Ajape
Argentina’s superstar Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami CF teammates were honored by Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday in recognition of their 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup triumph.
Messi stood at the center of the ceremony as Miami players, head coach Javier Mascherano, and team co-owner Jorge Mas joined Trump, who opened the event with remarks on military developments in the Middle East.
He later shifted focus to the team’s achievements in 2025 and recalled the impact of Brazilian legend Pelé during his 1970s spell with the New York Cosmos, which helped popularize football in the United States.
“I shouldn’t say this because I’m old, but I watched Pele play,” Trump said. “I don’t know; you (Messi) may be better than Pele. Pele was pretty good.”
During the ceremony, the players presented Trump with gifts, including a No. 47 jersey from the club’s signature pink kit, symbolising his status as the nation’s 47th president.
Trump also praised several Miami players, including Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, rising talent Tadeo Allende, and Rodrigo De Paul, while making a subtle reference to former president Joe Biden.
“It’s my distinct privilege to say what no American president has ever had the chance to say before: Welcome to the White House, Lionel,” Trump said, referring to the fact that Messi did not attend the ceremony when Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 2025.
“I’ve seen a lot of great players come into the world of sports,” Trump said. “They come to the Yankees or they come to the Dodgers… and there’s such a clamour.
“Everything’s great, but they don’t win. This guy won,” he said with a gesture toward Messi.
“Leo, you came in and you won. There’s a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know because you’re sort of expected to win,” Trump added.
Trump’s rundown of Miami’s 2025 achievements included not only their 3-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final but also their 2-1 victory over Portuguese side Porto in the Club World Cup, which marked the first time a North American team beat a European one in official competition.
In accepting Trump’s congratulations, Mas—the son of Cuban immigrants—said Miami’s rise since its 2020 inaugural season was based on the philosophy that “if you work hard and you sacrifice and you dream, it can be possible.”
Inter Miami’s global success is “not only because of Lionel Messi, but these men standing behind you have changed the culture of football in the United States of America forever,” Mas said. “We can play with the big boys.”
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