Lionel Messi and Inter Miami visited President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, participating in the traditional championship ceremony following their 2025 MLS Cup victory. During the event, Trump was quick to emphasize the unique impact the Argentine icon has had on the league compared to other global stars.
Since the early days of the league, and most notably with David Beckham’s arrival at the LA Galaxy in 2007 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s stint in 2018, the MLS has frequently attracted international legends. However, the President noted that Messi’s ability to deliver immediate championship success sets him apart from many of his predecessors.
“We’ve had a lot of great players come here, but they didn’t win. This man won. He came in and he won,” Trump told Messi during the press conference. “Leo, you came in and you won—something that is very hard and very unusual”.
“That’s why it’s a great pleasure. To be honest, there was more pressure put on you than anyone I know. You came in as the best in the world, they paid a fortune, and with all that pressure, you won. It’s impressive, so congratulations,” Trump added.
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump. (Getty Images)
Since joining the club in 2023, Messi has transformed the Herons into a dominant force. Under his leadership, Inter Miami captured their first trophy with the Leagues Cup in 2023, followed by the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, and culminated in their historic MLS Cup title last December.
Messi’s record-breaking 2025 campaign
see also
Donald Trump brings up Cristiano Ronaldo as Lionel Messi, Inter Miami visit the White House after 2025 MLS Cup win
In addition to bringing silverware to South Florida, Messi continued to rewrite the MLS record books throughout the 2025 season. In February, he became the fastest player in league history to reach 40 career goal contributions. By March, he set another milestone as the first player to record a multi-goal streak of more than four consecutive matches, netting 10 goals during that span.
The records continued to fall in October, when Messi became the first player to produce nine multi-goal games in a single regular season. His historic performances earned him the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award for the second consecutive year, making him the first player in league history to win the honor in back-to-back seasons.
