Inter Miami honoured at White House as Trump welcomes Messi and hails MLS Cup champions

Inter Miami CF’s 2025 MLS Cup-winning squad has been received at the White House, with President Donald Trump using the East Room ceremony to spotlight the club’s rise, Messi’s decision to move to Major League Soccer (MLS), and the league’s growing profile in the US sports market.Trump opened the event by acknowledging the visitors as champions before turning to the headline guest, telling the room: “Today we’re thrilled to host the 2025 MLS Cup Champions, Inter Miami… and it’s my distinct privilege to say what no American president has ever had the chance to say before – welcome to the White House Lionel Messi.”He added that his son had flagged Messi’s attendance ahead of the ceremony, saying: “My son said, dad, you know who’s going to be there today… He said Messi.”In remarks that leaned heavily on Messi’s career CV, Trump pointed to the forward’s decision to join the Miami-based franchise, telling Messi: “You could have gone anywhere in the world… and you chose to go to Miami. I don’t blame you. The weather is extremely good.”The President also walked through the key moments of Inter Miami’s title run, referencing the final against Vancouver and describing a pivotal sequence after the match was level, saying Messi “picked the pocket” of a defender and set up Rodrigo De Paul.Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas used his address to frame the club as both a sporting and civic project, linking the organisation’s identity to the city and its diaspora communities.Mas said: “On the back of our jersey, Mr. President, it says freedom to dream because that’s our family moniker and what embodies our team and our aspirations.”He also described the ambition that drove the club’s pursuit of Messi, saying: “I said we are going to bring the world’s greatest player to play at Inter Miami.”Mas told the President the club believes MLS can grow into a top-tier global league, adding: “We can play with the big boys… our league can be one of the top leagues in the world.”The White House event underlines how Inter Miami’s sporting success is being leveraged as a platform moment for both the club and MLS, with Messi’s star power continuing to drive outsized attention in domestic and international markets around matchday demand, commercial partnerships and league-wide visibility.