<p>A celebration of sporting excellence inside the White House quickly turned into one of soccer’s most intriguing talking points. United States president&nbsp;<strong>Donald Trump</strong> welcomed<strong> <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/lionel-messi/">Lionel Messi</a></strong> and his<strong> Inter Miami</strong> teammates to commemorate the club’s historic&nbsp;<strong>2025 MLS Cup triumph</strong>, a milestone moment for the franchise and for soccer in the US.</p>



<p>While the ceremony celebrated the Herons’ remarkable rise in&nbsp;<strong>Major League Soccer</strong>, it also produced a moment that immediately sparked debate across the global soccer community. The comment revived one of soccer’s oldest arguments, a comparison between generations of legends. Inter Miami’s visit to Washington followed&nbsp;<strong>the club’s first <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/mls/">MLS</a> Cup victory</strong>, secured in December after defeating&nbsp;Vancouver Whitecaps&nbsp;in the final.</p>



<p>The triumph marked a historic step for a club founded only a few years earlier and co-owned by&nbsp;David Beckham. The White House ceremony continued the long-standing American tradition of honoring championship teams. Players, staff members, and club executives gathered for the event, which celebrated the season that transformed Inter Miami into one of the most recognizable teams in world soccer.</p>



<p>Messi, who joined the club in&nbsp;<strong>mid-2023</strong>, has been central to that transformation. His impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. <strong>According to season statistics, the Argentine superstar recorded 43 goals and 25 assists in 49 appearances during the 2025 campaign</strong>, leading <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/inter-miami/">Inter Miami</a> to the league title and earning the&nbsp;<strong>MLS Most Valuable Player award for a second consecutive season, the first player in league history to achieve that feat.</strong></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2026/03/06095322/messi-trump-1920x1080.webp" alt="messi trump" class="wp-image-626209"></figure><figcaption>U.S. President Donald Trump receives gifts as Lionel Messi (L) and fellow members of Inter Miami look on</figcaption></figure>



<p>During the ceremony, Messi presented Trump with a&nbsp;<strong>bejeweled pink soccer ball</strong>, symbolizing the club’s iconic kit and its growing cultural influence. Trump addressed the Argentine directly while praising his achievements. <em>“Leo, you came in and you won, and that’s something very hard to do, very, very unusual,”</em>&nbsp;Trump said.</p>



<h2>The moment that sparked a global debate</h2>



<p>Midway through the ceremony, Trump shifted the conversation toward soccer history, recalling his memories of watching Brazilian legend&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/pele/">Pele</a>&nbsp;during the 1970s. The Brazilian famously played for the&nbsp;New York Cosmos&nbsp;between 1975 and 1977, a period widely credited with helping popularize soccer in the United States.</p>



<p>That memory led Trump to deliver the remark that quickly spread around the world. <em>“I shouldn’t say this because you’ll say I’m old, but I watched Pele play,”</em>&nbsp;he said. <em>“You may be better than Pele… Who’s better?”</em></p>



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<p>The comment reignited one of soccer’s most enduring debates:&nbsp;<strong>whether Messi’s achievements surpass those of the Brazilian icon</strong>. The president then appeared to make his own stance clear. <em>“I agree. I think he is.”</em> Within minutes, the statement had spread across social media and sports networks, adding a political voice to the long-running&nbsp;<strong>GOAT (Greatest of All Time) discussion</strong>.</p>



<h2>Praise for Messi’s decision to join Inter Miami</h2>



<p>Trump also used the occasion to highlight Messi’s decision to continue his career in the United States rather than returning to Europe or moving elsewhere. <em>“You could have gone anywhere in the world. You could have chosen any team in the world, and you chose Miami,”</em>&nbsp;he said. <em>“I don’t blame you. The weather’s extremely good.”</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2026/03/06095324/messi-trump-2-1920x1080.webp" alt="messi trump" class="wp-image-626210"></figure><figcaption>Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump</figcaption></figure>



<p>While Messi remained silent during the ceremony, his presence alone reflected the enormous influence he has had on American soccer since arriving.</p>

Lionel Messi better than Pele: Donald Trump opens debate with bold claim at Inter Miami’s White House visit as 2025 MLS champions

Lionel Messi better than Pele: Donald Trump opens debate with bold claim at Inter Miami’s White House visit as 2025 MLS champions - World Soccer Talk

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<p>No matter what side of the political aisle you sit on, or even if you straddle the middle, there’s no denying that right-wing politics are having a moment in the United States. From President Donald Trump having a replica of the World Cup trophy behind his desk when he’s signing his umpteenth executive order to FOX Sports pundit Alexi Lalas’ daily Republican Party manifesto on X, it’s hard for soccer fans to escape the beat of the red drum.</p>



<p>At the same time, with Trump aligning himself more closely with Russia and Vladimir Putin, what impact will it have on world soccer? In the scope of things, soccer is of little to no significance to much bigger and more important global issues such as the future of Ukraine and Gaza, but since this is a soccer website and the topic has been raised, let’s look at it more closely.</p>



<p>The FIFA World Cup trophy on the desk behind Trump is a constant reminder of the close relationship between Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. If you missed it, the two have created quite a <a href="https://youtu.be/_xkTmzcQsWs?si=vj20siRoy2Q45Yix" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bromance</a>, having met several times in recent years, including a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DE8hji9ID1G/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=3464f63b-65ad-44f8-98b6-c3636adca7be" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago</a> palace in Florida. Infantino was even at <a href="https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/president/news/donald-trump-rally-gianni-infantino-world-cup-2026-mentioned" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump’s inauguration</a>. Trump also opened the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup draw in December via a pre-recorded message.</p>



<p>Infantino recently wrote on Instagram, “Thank you Mr President for your time and for supporting FIFA over the coming months. America welcomes the World and Football Unites The World!”</p>



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<h2>Russia’s return to UEFA is almost impossible</h2>



<p>So what if Infantino and Trump are bosom buddies? How does that impact world soccer, especially when Trump is aligning himself with Putin? The cozier the relationship between Trump and Infantino, the more likely it is that Trump and Putin may discuss privately the topic of Russia being allowed back into the world’s game, with Trump’s help.</p>



<p>Similarly, the meetings between officials from the United States and Russia this past week could open the door for a Russian entry point into future competitions. <span style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px">It is noteworthy that the US-Russia discussions about Ukraine were held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup and has sought to present itself as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/middleeast/saudi-riyadh-us-russia-talks-analysis-intl-latam/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global peacemaker</a>. Surely,</span> Russia and Putin would gladly welcome a return to FIFA World Cup competitions.</p>



<p>Since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine to start its war, many European leagues as well as UEFA and US Soccer came out in opposition to Russia’s attempt to expand its territory. If you remember, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/25/sport/champions-league-final-russia-ukraine-sport-reaction-spt-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UEFA quickly moved</a> the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final from Russia to France. All of the Premier League clubs <a href="https://x.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1500127338234884106" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">showed solidarity</a> for Ukraine with its <a href="https://www.premierleague.com/news/2511965" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Football Stands Together</a> campaign. Bundesliga clubs <a href="https://x.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1500136214942334983" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">painted a peace symbol</a> on their pitches. LaLiga <a href="https://x.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1498029351098585092" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">displayed a message</a> on its broadcasts. <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/u-s-soccer-becomes-latest-federation-to-denounce-russia-heinous-and-inhumane/blt3eefd971ad27cc21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">US Soccer denounced Russia</a> and said it <a href="https://x.com/ussoccer/status/1498325273552596996" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">would not compete against Russia</a> until peace and freedom were restored.</p>



<p>Furthermore, FIFA and UEFA expelled Russia from international competitions. As recently as November 2024, both <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/russia-excluded-from-2026-world-cup-fifa-and-uefa-decide-to-keep-them-out-of-international-competitions/">FIFA and UEFA</a> extended that decision, which means that Russia is excluded from future soccer international competitions such as World Cup 2026, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. </p>



<h2>Trump + Russia + World Cup: Russia’s path back to the World Cup?</h2>



<p>The likelihood of Russia being allowed back into UEFA is almost impossible at this time. Instead, it’s quite possible that Russia may consider joining the Asian Confederation instead in hopes of a qualification path to future FIFA competitions. Russia previously <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/russia-football-union-votes-against-switch-asian-confederation-2023-12-20/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decided not to vote on it</a>, but that was well before its war against Ukraine dragged on.</p>



<p>Russia has run out of time to qualify for World Cup 2026, so Trump can’t help them here. However, World Cup 2030 is quite possible if Russia can be added to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).</p>



<p>While the possible scenarios for Russia in a future World Cup are notable, Russia and Putin have far bigger problems ahead of their country than a World Cup right now. Putin still has a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/17/1164267436/international-criminal-court-arrest-warrant-putin-ukraine-alleged-war-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warrant for his arrest</a> for allegedly committing war crimes against humanity. Russia, meanwhile, needs its illegal war to end to avoid a <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/14/russia-war-putin-economy-weapons-production-labor-shortage-demographics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bleak financial future</a>.</p>



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Could Trump hand Russia a ticket back to the World Cup?

What does President Trump, Russia and the World Cup have in common? It could be the formula to get Russia back into FIFA competitions.

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Could Trump hand Russia a ticket back to the World Cup?