Messi and Inter Miami honored at White House after MLS Cup triumph
Major League Soccer champions Inter Miami visited the White House, where U.S. President Donald Trump honored the club for winning the 2025 MLS Cup, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
The delegation included Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and two-time MLS MVP, who attended the ceremony alongside teammates and club executives.
The White House reception follows a long-standing American tradition of celebrating professional and collegiate champions. “We’re here to honor these great champions,” Trump said during the event. “Let’s get to the reason we’re here. We’re honoring truly talented people.”
He greeted Messi personally, adding: “It’s my privilege to say what no other president has ever said before: Welcome, Lionel Messi, to the White House.”
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas reflected on the club’s rise since joining MLS in 2019 and its global visibility after Messi arrived in 2023.
“It’s our aspiration to continue breaking barriers and putting no limits, to making sure Major League Soccer and Inter Miami are considered among the elite in global football,” Mas said.
Mas presented Trump with several gifts, including a pink Inter Miami jersey, a commemorative watch, and a club soccer ball.
During the ceremony, Trump joked with players and praised the squad’s talent. “What a group of people. We could have a lot of fun with these guys,” he said.
After the event, Trump posed for photographs with the team and invited Messi and club representatives to the Oval Office, describing it as “the center of the world.”
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Donald Trump appointed Marco Rubio to lead the United States’ campaign to host the 2035 World Expo, backing Miami, Florida, as a potential venue and presenting the bid as an economic opportunity.