Democrats respond to Trump with Messi video after Cristiano Ronaldo's visit to the White House

T he Democratic Party in the United States sparked political and soccer conversation on Wednesday by posting on its TikTok account a video featuring Lionel Messi, star of Inter Miami. The post came less than 24 hours after the White House released footage of President Donald Trump walking alongside Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, accompanied by the message "two GOATs," in reference to "the greatest of all time."

Images of Messi as a political counterattack

The video released by the Democrats brings together several of the most iconic moments in the Argentine star's career : historic goals with FC Barcelona , plays with Paris Saint-Germain , celebrations with the Argentine national team and the presentation of one of his eight Ballon d'Or awards. The montage serves as a symbolic response to Trump's gesture, who on Tuesday publicly highlighted Ronaldo's presence at the presidential headquarters.

Messi's appearance on the Democratic Party's official account aims to capitalize on the player's enormous popularity in the United States, especially since his arrival in MLS, and to counteract the media impact generated by the Republican video

Cristiano Ronaldo's visit causes a stir in Washington

Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Washington accompanied by his partner, Georgina Rodriguez , for a private visit that quickly became a political and media phenomenon. The footballer stayed in a luxury hotel just a street away from the White House , from where he was received as a global celebrity.

In the video published by the government, Trump walks alongside Ronaldo and highlights his son's excitement at meeting the Portuguese striker. Barron Trump was excited to meet the Portuguese striker. The immediate interpretation was that the president was seeking to publicly associate himself with one of the most influential sporting figures on the planet.

Ronaldo, a key figure in Saudi Arabia's international projection

The visit of the Al-Nassr striker also has a geopolitical component. In recent years, Ronaldo has become one of Saudi Arabia's leading tourism and economic promoters , as the country is pushing an ambitious global expansion project and will host the 2034 World Cup

His presence in Washington also comes seven months before the start of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada . Although the player's agenda was not detailed, his appearance generated speculation about promotional motives related to the World Cup.

A Messi-Ronaldo duel in the middle of an election campaign

The Democratic Party's surprising response with images of Messi adds an unexpected chapter to the eternal footballing rivalry between the Argentine and the Portuguese, this time transferred to the US political arena. While Trump used Ronaldo to reinforce his public image, the Democrats opted for Messi as their own sporting symbol in the campaign towards 2026.

The result: a viral crossover between politics and football that has captured the attention of the country.