The Oval Office was filled with soccer and stars. President Donald Trump received Inter Miami, reigning MLS champions, marking the first time the president has received a team from the U.S. soccer league. However, the moment that went viral was when Trump took a moment to settle, in his view, the biggest debate in sports: Messi or Pelé?
“I shouldn’t say this because then they’ll say I’m old, but I saw Pelé play. He played for the Cosmos. I don’t know… Maybe you are better than Pelé. Pelé was pretty good. Who’s better? You? I think so… But he was very good, wasn’t he? Pelé was very good,” Trump said during the reception.
Trump surrenders to Messi
President Trump hosted Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at the White House on Thursday, and asked the team whether Messi was better than Brazilian soccer icon Pele.
“I think he is,” Trump later said of Messi. pic.twitter.com/5tbERjRTta
– CBS News (@CBSNews) March 6, 2026
The president received an Inter Miami jersey with his last name and the number ’47’ on the back (in reference to his status as the 47th president of the United States), as well as a ball and a personalized Tudor watch.
It is a tradition for the champions of the U.S. major leagues, such as the NFL, MLB or NBA, to visit the White House, but this is the first time Donald Trump has received the champion of Major League Soccer (MLS).
“I have to say this: I’ve seen great players from the world of sports arrive (in the United States), from all countries and styles. Many came with great anticipation, ‘how incredible,’ they all said… but they didn’t win. This guy (Messi) came, there was a big buzz, and he won,” Trump said.
“You, Leo, came in and won, and that’s something very difficult, very unusual. Also, you endured a lot more pressure than anyone imagines, because you were expected to win… and almost no one does. You came in and won with all that pressure. That’s an incredible tribute,” the president added.
Inter Miami was represented by its president, Jorge Mas. “You’re looking at one of the best teams on the planet, right there, right behind us,” Mas told Trump.
“I said to myself what many thought was impossible. I said: we are going to bring the best player in the world to play for Inter Miami, and that was in 2019. And today, in front of you, you have the best player in the world,” he added.
Inter Miami became MLS champions last December for the first time in its history five years after its league debut in 2020.