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At a high-profile gala at the White House on Tuesday, billionaire Elon Musk and Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo were among the attendees invited by President Donald Trump for a dinner honoring the visiting Saudi crown prince.
Ronaldo, currently playing for Saudi club Al Nassr, is one of several veteran athletes lured to the desert kingdom by its significant spending, despite ongoing concerns over human rights.
The 40-year-old athlete, whose contract with Al Nassr is set to expire this summer, positioned himself near the front of Trump’s table just moments before the president and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman entered the room.
“My son is a huge fan of Ronaldo,” Trump remarked during his pre-dinner address, mentioning that his soccer-enthusiast son Barron, 19, had the chance to meet the legendary player.
“I think he respects his father a little more now, just because I introduced you,” he added.
Soccer also made an appearance at the dinner through FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was present ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the US is co-hosting.
Ronaldo has announced that next year’s World Cup—secured by Portugal last Sunday—will, without a doubt, be his last tournament.
The dinner also featured Elon Musk, the visionary behind SpaceX and Tesla, signifying a possible warming of relations after a previously public feud with the president. Musk had previously led the Department of Government Efficiency, a role that lasted five months, and traveled with Trump to Saudi Arabia in May.
However, their relationship soured in July when Musk criticized Trump’s massive spending bill, calling it “big and beautiful,” and claimed the president was under investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein.
In response, Trump threatened to deport Musk. The Tesla founder, dressed in a tuxedo, was seen engaging in conversations with other guests across a candlelit table, at a different location from Trump’s.
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