Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent visit to the White House has sparked controversy, particularly with former sports commentator turned political critic, Keith Olbermann. Early Wednesday, Olbermann took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his displeasure, stating, “If you crawl with a fascist scumbag, you become a fascist scumbag.” This outburst followed Ronaldo sharing a selfie with notable figures like Elon Musk and Gianni Infantino.
Ronaldo was in attendance for a dinner hosted by President Trump for the Saudi crown prince—his first trip back to the U.S. in almost a decade. His contract with Al Nasr in the Saudi Professional League is rumored to be around $400 million over two years.
During the gathering, Trump mentioned Ronaldo’s influence on his son, Baron, expressing gratitude for Ronaldo’s presence: “It’s an honor.” In a previous interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo had also commented positively about Trump, suggesting he could “help change the world.”
Looking ahead, with Portugal qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo is set to participate in his sixth tournament next summer, alongside Lionel Messi. There’s a sense of finality in Ronaldo’s remarks, as he stated this will “definitely” be his last World Cup appearance following Portugal’s disappointing exit in the previous tournament.
On a related note, Trump is deeply engaged in football matters, with FIFA’s special committee preparing for the upcoming World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 2026 World Cup is slated to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, culminating at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
