Trump tells Lionel Messi, 'You came in and you won,' during Inter Miami White House celebration

President Donald Trump praises Lionel Messi as Inter Miami celebrated its 2025 MLS Cup win.

President Donald Trump has shown his love for sports many times, in and out of office, and he’s seen talent from all over the world compete for glory. 

But as Trump hosted Inter Miami CF, the champions of the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Thursday at the White House, he couldn’t help but praise one of the best to ever play the sport, a great who won with loads of pressure on his shoulders. 

"I have to say this. I’ve seen a lot of great players come into the world of sports, and they’ve come from all different countries, all different players," Trump said during a speech at the White House. 

"They’ve come, from some cases, from different states. They come to the Yankees, or they come to the Dodgers or they come from whatever. I’ve seen them come from other countries, and there’s such a glamour [like], ‘Oh, everything’s great.’ But they don’t win. This guy won."

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President Donald Trump shakes hand with Argentinian star Lionel Messi during an event for Inter Miami CF, winners of the 2025 Major League Soccer Cup, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 5, 2026. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

As Trump turned around, he addressed Messi directly. 

"He came in, there was tremendous fanfare and he won. But it’s true, they don’t win. They come in, they’re great players, they can even play OK, but they don’t win. Leo, you came in, and you won, and that’s something very hard to, very unusual. 

"And, frankly, there’s a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know because you’re sort of expected to win. But almost nobody wins. They come