DONALD Trump hailed Cristiano Ronaldo and revealed his son Barron is a super fan after the football star joined a star-studded White House dinner.
The Portuguese superstar, 40, attended the presidential bash alongside Trump following a historic diplomatic meeting with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The 40-year-old was seen in a black tuxedo as he took his seat alongside the likes of Elon Musk and vice president JD Vance.
A million-dollar selfie later captured him alongside the Tesla boss, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his Georgina Rodriguez inside the White House.
Hailing the footie star, Trump said: “This room is loaded up with the biggest leaders in the world – business, sports…
“My son is a big fan of Ronaldo… Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now – just the fact that I introduced you.
“So I just want to thank you both for being here.”
Ronaldo, who now plays in the Saudi Pro League, was at first reported to be part of the delegation headed by the crown prince – a man he calls his “boss”.
But he was seen arriving in Washington separately from the Saudi officials later in the day.
Bin Salman, widely known as MBS, has invested millions in Ronaldo after bringing him over to the Middle East to play for Al-Nassr in 2023.
The major coup came after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had a public fall out with Manchester United.
In a recent interview with Piers Morgan earlier this month, the first-ever billionaire footballer even labelled MBS as his “boss”.
In that same sit-down chat, Ronaldo said he wished to meet Trump, whom he hailed as the president of peace.
Ronaldo explained: “He is one of the guys who can help to change the world. One of the most important people is the US President.
“If we can help each other to make this happen… I swear I cannot watch TV. Sometimes I start to see the news and I cannot…
“He is one of the guys I wish to meet to sit and have a nice talk.
“If it is here, or in the US, wherever he wants, I know he was here in Saudi Arabia with our boss MBS.
“I wish one day to meet him because he is one of the guys who can make things happen and I like people like that.”
Earlier this year, President Trump was also presented with a Portugal shirt signed by Ronaldo and with the message: “To President Donald J. Trump, Playing for Peace.”
It comes months out from the World Cup, which is set to be held across Trump’s America.
Portugal qualified for football’s biggest tournament last week despite Ronaldo being sent off against the Republic of Ireland for a violent elbow.
Ronaldo hasn’t played on US soil since 2014 back when he was at Real Madrid.
The forward came on as a substitute as Madrid took on Manchester United in front of 109,318 fans at Michigan Stadium.
He was last photographed in the US in 2016, following Portugal‘s Euro success.
It was even speculated after his fallout with Erik Ten Hag in Manchester that he may move to the MLS alongside Lionel Messi, but the move never materialised.
He hadn’t stepped foot in the US since rape allegations came to light.
Back in 2017, an accusation of rape made against Ronaldo in 2009 was made public via Football Leaks.
Kathryn Mayorga, who later waived her right to anonymity, alleged she was raped by Ronaldo in a Las Vegas hotel room after meeting him in a nightclub.
Ronaldo, who has always denied the allegations, and Mayorga reached an out-of-court settlement of $375,000 (£270k) in 2010.
Ronaldo could now be back in action on US soil in March.
According to The Athletic, the match is expected to take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United.
MBS has long been accused of seeking to whitewash his regime’s global image, which is in general marred by criticism around gender equality and human rights.
Ronaldo’s starring role in the Saudi Pro League has seen him become the face of the country’s modernisation drive.
Dozens of fellow footballers and several other sports spread across to the Middle East following Ronaldo’s blockbuster transfer.
Today, Saudi has become a major hub for sporting events such as boxing, snooker golf and tennis.
And it all falls under MBS’s grand plan to cement his iron grip over the region and grow its dominance by positioning itself as a strategic ally to other countries.
His White House visit however was marred by controversy after he was questioned over his involvement in the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
It marked MBS’s first visit on US soil since the murder at the hands of his own Saudi agents in Istanbul.
A CIA report even publicly announced that MBS approved the capture or killing of Khashoggi, a Virginia resident.
Khashoggi was believed to have been assassinated after he was vocally critical of the kingdom for some years.
He was seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents related to his planned marriage, but was never seen leaving.
It was later reported that he was strangled by some 15 Saudi agents and his body was chopped up with a bone saw.
The assassination triggered global outrage.
MBS denied ordering the killing, but took responsibility as the de facto ruler of the Saudi kingdom.
A reporter quizzed both leaders in the Oval Office about Khashoggi as Trump berated the journalist who asked the question.
Trump replied: “You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial.
“A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about, whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that.
“You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question.“
A clearly uncomfortable Prince Mohammed added: “It’s painful and it’s a huge mistake, and we are doing our best that this doesn’t happen again.”
