US President, Donald Trump, hosted Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates at the White House on Thursday, honoring the club for their historic 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup championship.
The celebratory event, held in the East Room, was attended by key figures of the franchise, including head coach Javier Mascherano and team co-owner Jorge Mas.
During the ceremony, the players presented Trump with a customized No. 47 jersey in the team’s signature pink, reflecting his status as the 47th president of the United States.
Following brief opening remarks regarding ongoing military actions in the Middle East, Trump shifted his focus to the team’s groundbreaking 2025 exploits.
He drew comparisons between Messi’s arrival in the US and the electrifying 1970s stint of Brazilian icon Pelé with the New York Cosmos.
“I shouldn’t say this because I’m old, but I watched Pele play,” Trump remarked. “I don’t know, you [Messi] may be better than Pele. Pele was pretty good.”
The President also took a subtle dig at his predecessor, Joe Biden. Acknowledging Messi’s presence, Trump stated, “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.” The comment was an oblique reference to Messi’s absence from a January 2025 ceremony where Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Trump praised Messi’s ability to handle immense expectations and deliver titles, giving additional shout-outs to Miami players like Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, Rodrigo De Paul, and rising star Tadeo Allende.
“I’ve seen a lot of great players come into the world of sports,” Trump said, gesturing toward Messi. “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. 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 highlighted Inter Miami’s dominant 2025 season, noting not only their 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final but also their landmark 2-1 victory against Portuguese side Porto in the Club World Cup. The latter marked the first time a North American team defeated a European side in an official competition.
Accepting the President’s congratulations, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas reflected on the team’s rapid rise since its inaugural season in 2020. Mas, the son of Cuban immigrants, emphasized the broader impact the club has had on the sport.
“If you work hard and you sacrifice and you dream, it can be possible,” Mas said. He added that the team’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. We can play with the big boys.”
