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Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was seen at the White House for dinner Tuesday evening, as his appearance coincided with President Donald Trump’s reception of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
During the black-tie affair, Ronaldo — making his first appearance in the United States in nearly a decade — received shouts from the president.
“My son is a huge fan of Ronaldo,” Trump said during a speech to a group that included Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook. “And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little more now that I introduced you to him. Thanks for being here, it’s an honor.”
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U.S. President Donald Trump (R) meets with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Ronaldo also shared his thoughts on Trump, who recently said “he’s one of the guys who can help change the world” during an interview with Piers Morgan.
Ronaldo played in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. The 40-year-old signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the club, reportedly worth more than $400 million.
Cristiano Ronaldo attends a dinner hosted by President Donald Trump for Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, at the White House in Washington, DC, United States, November 18, 2025. (Reuters/Tom Brenner)
With Portugal qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo is set to take part in his sixth tournament next summer in North America. He and Argentina’s Lionel Messi will make history by taking the field as the only players to appear in six men’s World Cups.
FOOTBALL LEGEND CRISTIANO RONALDO SAYS TRUMP ‘CAN CHANGE THE WORLD’
Ronaldo has said it will “definitely” be his last appearance for Portugal on the World Cup stage. There were questions about whether he would play in another tournament after the team’s resounding defeat to Morocco in the previous World Cup.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, left, celebrates with teammate Diogo Jota after scoring his team’s second goal during the Euro 2020 Group B qualifying soccer match between Luxembourg and Portugal at the Josy Barthel stadium in Luxembourg in November 2019. (AP/Francisco Seco)
But Ronaldo has since played for Al-Nassr, moving from Manchester United to the Saudi Pro League. Although it was an unexpected move from one of the best footballers of all time, he has embraced his new home, where he is an ambassador for the kingdom’s tourism authority.
Trump has also been heavily involved in the sport, with his FIFA task force preparing for next year’s tournament, which will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Trump announced the “FIFA Pass” alongside the organization’s president, Gianni Infantino, on Monday, a new initiative for ticket holders from around the world who will enter the United States for the World Cup.
The new system will allow World Cup ticket holders to benefit from priority visa interviews. Trump also noted that the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security were working “tirelessly” to “ensure that soccer fans around the world are properly screened and can easily come to the United States next summer.”
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between the Republic of Ireland and Portugal at the Aviva Stadium on November 13, 2025 in Dublin, Ireland. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
“I have asked my administration to do everything in its power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success. I think it will be the biggest, and we are setting records for ticket sales,” Trump added.
The World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11, 2026 and conclude on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
