Cristiano Ronaldo during an international match against Portugal. Credit: Vitalii Vitleo, Shutterstock
On Tuesday, November 18, Cristiano Ronaldo joined some rather unusual company as he swapped places with the White House soccer field as US President Donald Trump hosted a state dinner honoring Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The soccer superstar, now one of the most recognizable faces in Saudi Arabia’s sporting ambitions, attended the event during the crown prince’s first visit to the United States in seven years, a moment Washington and Riyadh clearly wanted to spotlight.
Celebrity guest list that made the show popular
Ronaldo, who joined Saudi club Al Nasr at the end of 2022 in a deal said to be worth around $200 million (173 million euros) a year, has become the Saudi league’s unofficial global ambassador. He recently agreed to extend his stay, further linking his name to the kingdom’s ambitious push into world sport.
So when he arrived at a White House dinner specially hosted for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, all eyes were naturally on him.
President Trump used this time to bond as a family, introducing Ronaldo to his 19-year-old son Barron, joking:
“Barron was able to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now.”
It wasn’t just soccer royalty in the room. The guest list was akin to modern-day global influencers, with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla founder Elon Musk, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino all in attendance, each symbolizing the deepening ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
A visit with political weight
The presence of the crown prince was the only turning point. He last visited the White House in 2017, when the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 sparked an international backlash and a diplomatic freeze.
Although US intelligence believes the crown prince approved the operation (he denies the claim), Washington has now shifted its focus. And Tuesday’s dinner made that clear.
Before the dinner, President Trump had a warm meeting with the crown prince, brushing off questions about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. When a reporter pressed her about Khashoggi’s murder, Trump cut her off and said:
“There’s no need to embarrass your guests with questions like that.”
The moment underscored the White House’s priorities: diplomacy first and controversy, if any, second.
Big investment, bigger message
During the meeting, President Trump announced that Saudi Arabia would invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the United States. This is a sign that the two countries want to renew and strengthen their strategic partnership despite long-standing tensions.
And Ronaldo’s star power fits perfectly into that narrative. Having one of the world’s greatest athletes at his side sends a strong message as the Crown Prince pushes to rebrand Saudi Arabia globally through major investments in sports, entertainment and technology.
For Ronaldo, it was a night that confirmed his unique role in Saudi Arabia’s global ambitions.
For Saudi Arabia, this was an opportunity to demonstrate its soft power.
For the United States, this was an opportunity to reset its relationship with key partners in the region.
One dinner, many symbols – and Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the spotlight.
