“You know, he's a big fan!”

For the first time in 11 years, Cristiano Ronaldo made an appearance in the United States. On Tuesday, the day Donald Trump received Mohammad bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, in an official reception, the famous soccer player was also invited to the White House.

Cristiano was one of dozens of participants at the dinner hosted by the White House, a dinner organized at the end of a day in which the US administration boasts that “President Donald J. Trump has strengthened the economic and defense partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

Ronaldo was seated at a central table alongside a key figure in the Saudi delegation. Leaders in the field of technology, such as Elon Musk and Tim Cook, also responded to the invitation, as well as the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, who is increasingly present around Donald Trump.

Donald Trump mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo at White House dinner: “You know, he's a big fan!”

Speaking at the beginning of the evening, Donald Trump made sure to mention Cristiano Ronaldo, dressed in 4 pins for the occasion.

“The room is full of world leaders in business, sports… You know, my son is a big fan of Ronaldo, wherever he is in this room.

Barron got to meet him and I think he respects his dad a little more now that I introduced him. I want to thank you both for being here, it's truly an honor,” the US president said. Barron Trump, 19, played football at the high school level.

Recently, in a dialogue with journalist Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo declared himself interested in a tête-à-tête with President Donald Trump:

“He's one of those people who can change the world, one of those people I want to meet and have a nice chat with. Wherever he is, here (no – in Saudi Arabia) or in the United States, where desired. I hope to meet him one day because he is one of those people who can make things happen and I like that kind of people.”

He was investigated in the US

Cristiano Ronaldo played and was last seen in the United States in August 2014. Since then, he has skipped all the American tournaments of the teams he represented, whether we are talking about Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United or Al Nassr.

This long absence was linked to the investigation Ronaldo was involved in in the States. Cristiano was accused by former model Kathryn Mayorga of allegedly raping her in 2009. The Portuguese paid her $375,000 for silence, a so-called “non-disclosure agreement”, but in 2018 Mayorga filed a complaint, seeking damages in the millions of dollars.

In June 2022, a Las Vegas court denied the alleged victim's request to reinstate the case. Her lawyers appealed, but that too was rejected.