Ronaldo joins Trump and Saudi Crown Prince at high-profile White House dinner

Cristiano Ronaldo during a state dinner at the White House, Washington DC, U.S. on Nov. 18, 2025. Photo by Reuters

The high-profile event, honoring Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, gathered approximately 200 guests in the East Room, the biggest of the White House. This is Ronaldo's first public appearance in the U.S. since 2016.

The attendees included top business leaders, politicians and influential global figures such as Elon Musk. The dinner coincided with ongoing discussions between the two countries aimed at boosting bilateral economic and defense cooperation.

Appearing in a black tuxedo and bow tie, Ronaldo quickly attracted attention. President Trump complimented the superstar in his opening speech, saying that his 19-year-old son, Barron, was a big fan.

"Barron got to meet him. And I think he respects his father a little bit more, now, just the fact that I introduced you," Trump said, as quoted by AP.

Ronaldo last played a match in the U.S. in August 2014, when he came off the bench in a game between Real Madrid and Manchester United in Michigan with over 109,000 spectators. In 2016, he also came to the U.S. after winning the Euro. Media reported that Portugal can play a friendly with hosts USA in March 2026.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez sees Ronaldo's visit to the U.S. as good news.

"Cristiano is more than just a football player. I think he can contribute to many things beyond football, so I believe it's a happy day for all Portuguese people to see an ambassador of Portugal at the White House," he told CNN.

Ronaldo's attendance highlighted his role as the global face of the Saudi Pro League, where he is in his fourth season with Al Nassr. Although Ronaldo has not taken his team to the domestic title, he still maintains an average performance of roughly one goal per game at the age of 40. He also holds the record of scoring more than 100 goals for four different clubs.

Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram with 668 million followers.