United States President, Donald Trump, has lavished praise on Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, suggesting that the Inter Miami captain could be better than Brazilian football legend Pele.
Trump made the remarks on Thursday when Messi and his Inter Miami teammates visited the White House following their historic triumph in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup, the club’s first title in the competition.
The reception marked Messi’s first visit to the White House, coming months after his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo attended a dinner hosted there last November.
Speaking during the event, Trump revealed that his son had been particularly excited about Messi’s presence at the White House.
“My son said, ‘Dad, do you know who’s going to be there today?’ I said, ‘No, I have a lot of things going on.’ He said, ‘Messi,’” Trump said.
“He’s a big soccer fan and a tremendous admirer of yours, and also of a gentleman named Ronaldo. Cristiano is great. You’re great.”
The US President went further to compare Messi with the late Brazilian football icon Pele, who famously played for the New York Cosmos during the growth of soccer in the United States.
“You may be better than Pele,” Trump said, before turning to the audience and asking: “Who’s better?”
Messi’s visit comes on the back of an impressive season with Inter Miami, where the Argentine maestro played a pivotal role in guiding the club to its maiden MLS Cup success, further strengthening his legacy as one of football’s greatest players.
