STR/EPA
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, in a friendly game in Riyadh, in 2023
The Democratic Party published images of Lionel Messi on its TikTok account, in response to the video released by the White House with Republican President Donald Trump alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
American politics appears to have reached an unprecedented level of tension over the debate: Messi or Ronaldo?
This Wednesday, at the White House. On Tuesday night, he had already attended a dinner with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and the Saudi delegation, on tour in the USA.
The world stopped to watch this interaction between two of the most popular men of the moment. The person who took advantage of this media coverage was the White House’s own communications team, releasing a video of Trump and Ronaldo walking together with the message “two GOATs” (Greatest of All Time, in Portuguese).
But the Democrats’ GOAT is Messi
In response, the Democratic Party published images of Lionel MessiInter Miami’s Argentine striker, on his TikTok account
The video brings together iconic images from Messi’s career at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, the Argentine national team and also the ceremony in which he received one of his eight Ballon d’Ors.
@democratsmogged♬ original sound – click24s
At dinner on Tuesday, Trump highlighted Ronaldo’s presence and said that his son, Barron, was excited to meet the Portuguese star in person.
Cristiano Ronaldo and hispano-argentina Georgina Rodriguezthe footballer’s companion, stayed in a luxury hotel a block from the White House.
Cristiano Ronaldo also thanked Donald Trump for the invitation and reception at the White House.
“Thank you, Mr. President, for the invitation and the warm welcome that you and the First Lady gave me and my future wife. Each of us has something meaningful to give and I am ready to do my part while We inspire new generations to build a future defined by courage, responsibility and lasting peace“, highlighted the striker and captain of the national team, in a post on social media.
The player had already expressed interest in meeting Trump in a recent interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, released on November 6: “He’s one of the people I want to meet, I’d like to have a good conversation with him. He’s someone I really like because he’s one of the people who can make things happen.”
Since his arrival in Saudi Arabia in January 2023, Ronaldo has taken on a role in promoting the country, and the meeting with the North American leader coincided with Mohammed bin Salman’s first official trip to Washington in seven years.
Ronaldo was the third Portuguese athlete to make an official visit to the White House, after the marathon runner Carlos Lopesgold medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, which was received by Ronald Reaganand the basketball player Nehemiah Quetawinner of the North American Basketball League (NBA) with the Boston Celtics, in 2024, received by Joe Biden.
