Is Messi’s Visit to Trump’s White House a Shift in His Political Stance?

Until Thursday, the global football superstar was equally adept at dodging defenders on the pitch and political leaders, especially those in his home country of Argentina. There were questions about whether he would appear with the rest of Inter Miami to celebrate their MLS Cup win at the White House.

As the team gathered in the room, he was not among them; instead, he walked in with US President Donald Trump and team owner Jorge Mas Santos and then presented the dazzling ball to Trump.

While Messi was quiet throughout, his appearance seemed to speak volumes for a player whose politics are largely shrouded in mystery.

When Argentina, captained by Messi, won the World Cup in 2022, the team refused to go to then-President Alberto Fernández’s Casa Rosada, the Pink House. Javier Milei, Argentina’s current president and Trump ally, has loudly praised Messi but has yet to make a public appearance or even take a photo together. A year ago, Messi was invited by the administration of then-US President Joe Biden to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but could not attend due to scheduling conflicts.

Messi’s visit surprised some In Argentina, the visit caused surprise and even dismay, especially among those who admired the national team captain for not getting involved in politics; this was a trait that differentiated him from his predecessor, Diego Maradona. (However, some felt his appearance could benefit Argentina as they prepare for World Cup matches in the US)

Kirk Bowman, a professor at Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs who studies football and politics in Latin America, was not surprised by Messi’s visit.

“He has a very ‘long-term’ approach in his career, both as a player and as someone with a very strong team that has created long-term wealth,” Bowman said, noting his numerous investments, including his equity in Inter Miami.

“He’s also very strongly tied to Miami, which as a football community is much more conservative than other parts of the United States,” Bowman said.

Messi stood by Trump as the president commented on Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. At the end, the football star applauded. Messi’s supporters defended him, saying he was not fluent in English; This perception serves as “an extra layer of brand protection,” says Bowman.

Representatives for Inter Miami and Messi did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press about the visit, but Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano was asked about the matter at Friday’s press conference.

“I thought we were going to talk about football, but I guess I’m not lucky. We were following protocol, which is almost a tradition for a team to visit the White House when they win a championship,” Mascherano said.

He said the team spent several hours at the White House and that “the contact with Trump was like what you see on TV and not much more than that.”

Maradona, Barcelona, ​​​​La Garganta Poderosa and … Saudi Arabia Messi’s image with Trump has led some fans to recall the anti-American stance of Argentina’s other great football idol, the late Maradona. The captain of the 1986 World Cup-winning team, he was an active supporter of leaders such as Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. He even had the image of guerrilla fighter Ernesto “Che” Guevara tattooed on one of his arms.

Messi, on the contrary, has remained largely silent about the problems in the various countries where he lives, such as Argentina, Spain, France or the USA. His career at FC Barcelona, ​​which spanned from his teenage years until his departure in 2021, coincided with a politically intense period in Spain, with Catalonia’s separatist movement threatening to separate the northeastern region from the rest of the country. However, Messi stayed away from any political statements for or against the independence drive that has divided Catalonia’s 5 million voters.

He masterfully knew how to maintain his status as the idol of Barça’s divided fans by focusing on scoring goals and winning titles. “Visca Barça y visca Catalunya!” He was heard chanting the slogan. (“Long live Barça and long live Catalonia”) celebrating a title, but the rallying cry was pretty standard for the players and largely devoid of political overtones.

He didn’t speak the local Catalan language, but had only good things to say about the city he moved to when he was 13. In an interview with the Catalan television channel Tv3 in 2024, Messi said that “his children are Catalan” and “I feel like I’m from Barcelona.”

Some hints of political leanings came in 2011 and 2020 interviews with the left-wing Argentine magazine La Garganta Poderosa. In the first interview, Messi spoke positively about Guevara, and in the second, he said that inequality is one of society’s most pressing problems amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Overall, Bowman says Messi is unlikely to move further into politics.

“I don’t think he’s really comfortable being political, but he’s not comfortable being used in politics as long as the net benefit is positive,” he said.

Bowman highlighted Messi’s commercial contract with the Saudi Arabian tourism board and the subsequent “sportswashing” allegations. He also compared Messi’s approach to the kingdom’s typical “depressing verdict”.

“I think Messi is viewed the same way,” Bowman said. “He will attend events as long as the brand does not tarnish Messi.”