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Cristiano Ronaldo joins Donald Trump at White House dinner with Saudi crown prince

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Cristiano Ronaldo joins Donald Trump at White House dinner with Saudi crown prince
Photo: @WhiteHouse
Cristiano Ronaldo made a rare appearance in the United States on Tuesday as he attended a black-tie dinner at the White House, hosted by President Donald Trump in honour of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The 40-year-old Portuguese superstar, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, was seated near the front of the East Room alongside senior officials, business leaders, and global figures including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla founder Elon Musk, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Ronaldo's presence added an extra layer of star power to an event marking the crown prince's first White House visit since 2018, following years of diplomatic tension after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Trump Introduces Ronaldo to His Son Barron

President Trump took a moment during his remarks to acknowledge Ronaldo, revealing that he had introduced the football icon to his son Barron earlier in the evening.
My son is a big fan of Ronaldo. And Baron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you.
Ronaldo, who has become the leading face of Saudi football since joining Al-Nassr in 2023 on a huge contract backed by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, attended the dinner on the same day Prince Mohammed held official talks with the president.

It remains unclear whether Ronaldo was formally part of the crown prince's delegation.

A Strategic Visit Ahead of the 2026 World Cup

FIFA President Infantino was also in attendance, later sharing a photo alongside Ronaldo on social media.

With the 2026 World Cup - co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico - now just months away, the high-profile gathering appeared partly aimed at generating further momentum for the tournament among American audiences.

Trump has positioned himself closely with the World Cup, even keeping a replica of the trophy on display in the Oval Office.

Portugal, meanwhile, are set to play a friendly against the United States in Atlanta during the March international break - a match that is expected to draw significant attention should Ronaldo feature.

Why Ronaldo Was at the White House

With his club based in Riyadh - more than 14 hours away by flight - Ronaldo's presence at the White House raised eyebrows.

But the timing aligns with Saudi Arabia's growing prominence in global sport and its successful bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which Ronaldo publicly supported.

His connection to Saudi football and his global influence made him a natural figure to attend the diplomatic and sporting event.

Ronaldo's Rare U.S. Visit

Ronaldo has seldom visited the United States in the past decade.

His last appearance on American soil came in 2016, and he has not played a match in the country since 2014, when he featured for Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly.

Having missed Portugal's final qualifier against Luxembourg due to the first red card of his international career, Ronaldo is still expected to appear at a record sixth World Cup next summer - barring injury or a shock omission.

Portugal will learn their group opponents on 5 December, with Trump scheduled to attend the draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

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