Superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo attended a White House black-tie dinner on Tuesday night alongside Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking ahead of the event, described it as an “honour” to host Ronaldo, whose high-profile role in the Saudi Pro League has made him one of the global faces of the kingdom’s modernisation and economic diversification efforts.
Saudi Arabia, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been pushing to reduce its dependence on oil revenue by expanding into sports, tourism, and major global entertainment ventures.
A White House official earlier confirmed Ronaldo’s attendance but did not specify whether he was part of the crown prince’s official delegation.
Sportswashing Concerns Persist
Saudi Arabia’s rapid investment in global sporting assets has drawn criticism from human rights groups, who accuse the kingdom of using sports to deflect from its human rights record and environmental concerns—a practice commonly referred to as sportswashing.
Trump Praises Saudi Ties
During the dinner, President Trump lauded the U.S.–Saudi relationship, calling the kingdom a “major non-NATO ally” and emphasising closer diplomatic and economic cooperation. Earlier in the day, Trump held a meeting with the crown prince in the Oval Office.
Turning to Ronaldo during his speech, Trump quipped:
“My son is a big fan of Ronaldo. And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you.”
Elon Musk, Tech Leaders Also in Attendance
Also present at the event was business magnate Elon Musk—his first White House appearance since stepping down from Trump’s Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) earlier this year. Musk joined a list of influential guests including Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Trump and Musk have had a widely publicised feud in recent months, during which Musk floated the idea of forming a new political party.
Ronaldo’s First U.S. Visit in Years
The dinner marks one of Ronaldo’s first public appearances in the United States since 2016.
During the intervening years, he faced a high-profile allegation of sexual assault by Kathryn Mayorga, stemming from a 2009 incident in Las Vegas. Ronaldo strongly denied the accusation, calling rape “an abominable crime.”
In 2019, U.S. prosecutors declined to pursue charges, stating they could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Saudi Megadeal and Global Influence
Ronaldo joined Saudi club Al Nassr in early 2023 under a record-breaking contract reportedly worth $200 million per year. In June, he signed an extension valued at $400 million over two years, becoming football’s first billionaire player with a net worth estimated at $1.4 billion, according to Bloomberg.
Analysts say his presence is a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s global branding strategy.
“Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in high-profile events and individuals to put the kingdom on the map,” said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House.
Ronaldo has referred to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as “our boss” and recently appeared at a Ministry of Tourism event in Riyadh, where he promoted the kingdom’s development projects and its ambitions to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
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