In a symbolic event, the U.S. president praised the Argentine star, even placing him above historical football legends. One of the most talked-about moments of the reception was when Trump, reminiscing about his youth, compared Messi to the Brazilian star Pelé, whom he watched play during his time with the New York Cosmos.
The president acknowledged the quality of the Rosario native with words that have already circled the globe: "I shouldn't say this because then they'll say I'm old, but I saw Pelé play. He played for the Cosmos. I don't know... You might be better than Pelé. Pelé was pretty good. Who is better? You? I think so... But he was very good, right? Pelé was very good." For Trump, Messi's merit in the United States lies not only in his talent but also in his ability to meet the high expectations set since his arrival in 2023. The president highlighted that, unlike other international stars who came to the league without success, Messi transformed Inter Miami into an immediate winning team.
Addressing the Argentinian captain directly, Trump stated: "You, Leo, arrived and won, and that is very difficult, very unusual. Also, you endured much more pressure than anyone can imagine because winning was expected of you... and almost no one achieves it. You arrived and won under all that pressure. That is an incredible tribute." In the same vein, the president emphasized the difficulty of Messi's feat: "Leo, you arrived and won, and that is very difficult to do, very, very unusual, and frankly, there is much more pressure on you than anyone would imagine because winning was expected of you, but almost no one wins."
The president of Inter Miami, Jorge Mas, also spoke to recall the ambitious plan he initiated in 2019 to bring the team to the top. "I told myself what many believed was impossible. I said: let's bring the best player in the world to play for Inter Miami, and that was in 2019. And today, before you, you have the best player in the world."
Mas emphasized to the president that the team behind him was currently "one of the best teams on the planet." The ceremony featured key figures from the team such as Luis Suárez and the Argentinians Tadeo Allende and Rodrigo De Paul. Inter Miami, who defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps in the December final, made history as the first MLS team invited to the White House during Trump's presidency.
This recognition comes at a time of great anticipation for the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. At 38 years old, Messi is expected to lead the Albiceleste once again in a tournament that, however, is affected by international instability, including the conflict with Iran (a team with scheduled matches on U.S. soil) and turmoil in Mexico. Despite the global context, Messi's figure, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, remains the main source of excitement for football in North America.