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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lionel Messi presented President Donald Trump with a bejeweled pink soccer ball during a White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami for winning last year's MLS Cup.
Watch the event in our video player above.
Inter Miami secured the Major League Soccer title in December by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps, with the Argentine superstar earning the league's MVP award for the second consecutive 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 said.
Messi, who joined Inter Miami in mid-2023 to great fanfare, entered the ceremony alongside Trump but did not speak. The event occasionally took a political tone, with Trump addressing topics such as the war with Iran, the situation in Venezuela, a potential future announcement regarding Cuba, and tariffs.
When speaking directly to Messi — who is known for avoiding political commentary — the president focused mainly on sports.
"You could have gone anywhere in the world. You could have chosen any team in the world, and you chose to go to Miami. I don't blame you. The weather's extremely good. Do you go to Doral? You go to Doral and play golf?" Trump said, referencing a golf course he owns. "I just want to thank you for bringing us all on this ride, because you are hot and talented and a great person."
Other Inter Miami stars attending included Luis Suárez, Tadeo Allende, and Rodrigo De Paul. MLS Commissioner Don Garber sat next to Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House's World Cup task force. Also present were retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and members of Trump's cabinet.
READ MORE: With 100 days to go, World Cup faces challenges with Iran war and Mexico cartel violence
Inter Miami became the first MLS team invited to the White House during Trump's two terms in office.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title. The 38-year-old is expected to play again for Argentina this summer when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The global soccer showcase has been overshadowed by recent events, including the war with Iran and unrest in Mexico following the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera in a military operation.
Iran, one of the 48 teams qualified for the World Cup, is scheduled to play two games at SoFi Stadium in Southern California and another in Seattle during the group stage.
Trump opened the ceremony with remarks about the conflict with Iran but did not mention the World Cup.
Following recent military actions by the United States and Israel, Iran's top soccer official, Mehdi Taj, expressed doubts about Iran's participation in the World Cup, saying the country could not look to the tournament with "hope."
"I really don't care" if Iran participates, Trump told Politico this week. "I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They're running on fumes."
It remains unclear what would happen if Iran withdrew from the World Cup. No team that has qualified for the tournament has withdrawn in the past 75 years.
READ MORE: With Iran's World Cup place in U.S. put in doubt by war, FIFA has Iraq next in line
The World Cup kicks off on June 11 with Mexico playing South Africa in Mexico City.
During the ceremony, Trump recalled watching Brazilian legend Pelé play with the New York Cosmos. Turning to Messi, he said, "You may be better than Pelé," then asked the crowd, "Who's better?"
Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas stated that his team has "changed the culture of football in the United States of America forever."
"We can play with the big boys, we can play with the heavyweights. Our league can be one of the top leagues in the world," Mas said. "And it is this ability to dream, to persevere, to have no obstacles ahead of us, that we will continue to be successful. And hopefully, Mr. President, this is not our only visit here celebrating an MLS Cup championship."
This was Messi's first visit to the White House. He had been invited by the Biden administration to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 2025 but was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.
Inter Miami will remain in the area to play D.C. United on Saturday.
