Global soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will visit the White House on Tuesday as President Donald Trump works to shore up relations with Saudi Arabia and just months before the FIFA World Cup tees off in North America next summer.
The Portuguese great, who in his prime led the line for the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United, now plies his trade for Riyadh-based Al-Nassr, the top team in the Saudi Pro League.
His visit comes on the same day that Trump welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, a moment that could mark a significant thaw in U.S.-Saudi relations since the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The president sees Saudi Arabia as a key cog in his effort to stabilize the Middle East and is reportedly considering entering a bilateral security treaty with the country. And Saudi negotiators will likely clinch a deal to buy American AI chips.
Ronaldo’s visit comes nearly a decade after reports emerged that he’d been accused of a 2009 sexual assault of a Las Vegas model and teacher. He has denied the allegations and has never been criminally charged. The star last played a game in the country in 2014, according to The Athletic.
