Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo shared a private moment with former President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, before being lavishly praised during a glittering dinner for a visiting delegation from Saudi Arabia.
A High-Profile Meeting
The encounter marked Ronaldo's first public appearance in the United States since 2017, when an American teacher accused him of rape following an incident in Las Vegas – an allegation he has always vehemently denied.
Following President Trump's speech at the black-tie event, the White House released a video the next morning showing the two men walking side-by-side along The Presidential Walk of Fame. The footage was captioned 'Two GOATS' and 'CR7 x 45/47', referencing Ronaldo's jersey number and Trump's presidential numbering.
Ronaldo's fiancée, Georgina Rodriguez, was seen walking alongside the pair during the stroll.
Trump's Personal Praise
During his speech on Tuesday evening, Trump thanked the football icon for earning him some extra admiration from his football-obsessed son, Barron.
'This room is loaded up with the biggest leaders in the world - business, sports...' President Trump stated. 'My son is a big fan of Ronaldo... Barron got to meet him and I think he respects his father a little bit more now - just the fact that I introduced you.'
The event attracted numerous high-profile figures from technology, politics, and sport. Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, wore a black tuxedo and was seated alongside Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance.
A Gathering of Influential Figures
Other notable attendees packed into the East Room included Donald Trump Jr, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Tech founder David Sacks posted a selfie from inside the event, which was taken by Ronaldo himself. The photograph featured Sacks, Musk, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Rodriguez, and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
Sacks posted 'Great night!' alongside the picture, which Lutnick also shared on his social media channels.
The dinner also marked the first US visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman since US intelligence agencies claimed he approved the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
In a remarkable defence earlier on Tuesday, President Trump scolded a reporter who questioned him about Khashoggi's murder in the Oval Office. Defying the US intelligence report that emerged during his first term, Trump stated that Bin Salman 'knew nothing about it'.
