WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 05: U.S. President Donald Trump receives gifts from Inter Miami CF CEO and Managing Owner Jorge Mas (R) as Lionel Messi (L) of Inter Miami looks on during an event celebrating the 2025 MLS Cup Champions Inter Miami CF in the East Room of the White House on March 05, 2026 in Washington, DC. Inter Miami defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to win their first MLS Cup championship. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami visited President Donald Trump at the White House, with Messi giving him a gift.
Messi and the team were honored for winning the MLS Cup final for the first time in club history. Trump was gifted a pink Miami ball, an Inter Miami jersey, and a watch by head coach Javier Mascherano.
This comes in the wake of other soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo visiting Trump at the Oval Office, as this was Messi’s first trip to the White House.
Trump spoke about Inter Miami’s visit to the White House, saying, “We’re honoring truly talented people.”
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“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 Messi.’
“My son said, ‘Dad, do you know who’s going to be there today?’ I said, ‘No, I got a lot of things going on.’ He said, ‘Messi.’
“He’s a big fan of yours. He thinks you’re just a great person. And I think you got to meet a little while ago. So he’s a big soccer fan, but he’s a tremendous fan of yours. And a gentleman named Ronaldo. Cristiano is great. You’re great,” Trump said.
Inter Miami won the title back in December, defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Messi was also named the league MVP for the second straight 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 added.
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