Lionel Messi Gifts “47” Jersey to Donald Trump at White House MLS Champions Celebration

Inter Miami visited the White House on Thursday to celebrate their first-ever MLS Cup title, with captain Lionel Messi walking into the East Room alongside President Trump. The team presented Trump with a custom pink Inter Miami jersey bearing his name and the number 47, a signed soccer ball featuring Messi's autograph and an American flag, and a special team watch. Trump praised the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner directly, saying, "You came in and you won, and that's something very hard to do," before playfully asking the crowd whether Messi or Pelé was better. The ceremony blended sports celebration with geopolitics, as Trump opened with nearly nine minutes of remarks on the Iran strikes before pivoting to "soccer-slash-football." Co-owner Jorge Mas declared that Inter Miami has "changed the culture of football in the United States forever," while notably absent was fellow co-owner David Beckham, who was in the UK supporting his son's band. Trump later invited the full squad to the Oval Office for photos. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching on US soil this summer, Trump looked ahead, telling Messi and the team the best may be yet to come.