Cristiano Ronaldo takes selfie with Elon Musk and other famous faces after Donald Trump White House visit

Ronaldo arrived with his fiancée, Georgina Rodríguez, as part of the Saudi delegation.

Wearing a black tuxedo, the 40-year-old Al-Nassr forward was seated close to numerous prominent attendees, including Elon Musk and US vice president JD Vance.

The East Room was packed with other major names from American politics and business, among them Donald Trump Jr, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The standout moment of the evening came later on, when technology investor David Sacks shared a selfie taken by Ronaldo himself.

That image showed Ronaldo holding the phone with Musk beside him, as well as Sacks, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Rodríguez and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.

“Great night!” Sacks wrote as he posted the photo, which quickly circulated across social media platforms.

During his speech, Trump singled Ronaldo out for praise, acknowledging his global stature and joking about his own son’s excitement at meeting the Portuguese star.

“This room is loaded up with the biggest leaders in the world – business, sports,” Trump said. “My son is a big fan of Ronaldo… Barron got to meet him and I think he respects his father a little bit more now – just the fact that I introduced you.”

The dinner also marked the first visit to the United States in several years for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose arrival drew considerable political attention.

Earlier in the day, Trump faced questions about the Crown Prince’s past controversies and responded with a forceful defence, insisting he did not believe the Crown Prince was responsible for wrongdoing.

His response underscored the former president’s longstanding efforts to maintain strong ties with Saudi leadership, both during and after his presidency.

For Ronaldo, the evening offered a rare opportunity to appear publicly in the US at an event of major political significance.

Although he has regularly toured America throughout his career in promotional capacities and preseason appearances, his commitments in recent years with Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United and now Al-Nassr have kept him primarily tied to European and Middle Eastern competitions.

The timing of his return to the US spotlight is noteworthy.

Portugal secured World Cup qualification over the weekend, and the majority of next summer’s tournament will be staged on American soil.

The international side are also due to head back to the United States in March for a friendly in Atlanta - a fixture widely expected to draw considerable attention if Ronaldo participates.

The footballer has also taken steps recently to align himself with Trump on a personal level.

In July, the former president was presented with a Portugal national team shirt signed by Ronaldo with the message: “To president Donald J. Trump, Playing for Peace.”

Last week, the veteran reiterated his admiration for Trump’s influence on the world stage and expressed a desire to meet him for a “nice talk,” praising his ability to “make things happen.”

Ronaldo is expected to feature for Al-Nassr when they face Al-Khaleej in their Saudi Pro League clash on Sunday (5.30pm).