On November 19, 2025, President Donald Trump hosted a state banquet at the White House to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The event was attended by football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as a special guest, where he met one of his biggest fans, Barron.
Salman is seen as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. This visit marks his first trip to Washington in over seven years, aiming to strengthen the relationship between the world’s largest economy and the largest oil-exporting country globally.
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump held a grand welcome ceremony for Salman’s delegation, featuring honor guards and a flyover of American fighter jets over the White House.
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, also known as C Ronaldo, who serves as the face of the Saudi Football League, attended the White House banquet, attracting global attention.
According to the 2025 Forbes ranking of football players’ income, the 40-year-old C Ronaldo topped the list with a total income of $280 million, more than twice the second-ranked Messi. Since joining the Riyadh Victory Club in late 2022, a significant portion of Ronaldo’s earnings comes from his annual salary. It is worth mentioning that the Riyadh Victory Club is majority-owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Salman.
At the White House East Room banquet, C Ronaldo sat in the front row next to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla founder Elon Musk, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, among others.
A heartwarming moment at the banquet was when President Trump introduced his 19-year-old son Barron to the attendees, revealing Barron’s admiration for C Ronaldo as a loyal fan.
“Cristiano Ronaldo now knows Barron,” Trump joked. “I think he’ll have a bit more respect for his father now that I’ve introduced you.”
Ronaldo’s presence highlights Saudi Arabia’s efforts in sports diplomacy. The 40-year-old star had actively supported Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup and is set to represent Portugal in the record-breaking sixth edition of the World Cup next year. When Saudi Arabia confirmed winning the hosting rights in December last year, Ronaldo called it the “best World Cup ever.”
During the meeting, President Trump announced Saudi Arabia’s designation as a major non-NATO ally, marking a deepening of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Additionally, Trump announced Saudi Arabia’s commitment to new investments totaling billions of dollars in the United States.