Ronaldo visited the U.S. for the first time in nearly a decade
Cristiano Ronaldo’s visit to the White House this week drew the ire of a former sports pundit turned political commentator.
Keith Olbermann, who has been loudly critical of President Donald Trump and other Republicans, took to X early Wednesday morning to hurl an insult at the soccer legend.
“Crawl with fascist scumbags and you’ve become a fascist scumbag,” Olbermann posted, sharing the selfie Ronaldo took with Elon Musk, Gianni Infantino, Georgina Rodriguez and others.
Keith Olbermann called Cristiano Ronaldo a “fascist scumbag” after the soccer star’s visit to the White House. (Lloyd Bishop, Jonathan Nackstand/Getty Images )
Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, was at the White House dinner for the Saudi crown prince. It was the first time Ronaldo had been in the United States in nearly 10 years. His current two-year contract is reportedly worth around $400 million.
“My son is a big fan of Ronaldo,” Trump said during a speech to a group that included Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook. “And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now that I’ve introduced you. Thank you for being here, it’s an honor.”
Ronaldo has also shared how he feels about Trump, recently saying during an interview with Piers Morgan that Trump is “one of the guys that can help to change the world.”
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates a goal in his 200th appearance for Portugal during a UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifying Round Group J match between Iceland and Portugal at Laugardalsvollur, June 20, 2023, in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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With Portugal qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo will compete in his sixth tournament next summer in North America. He and Argentina’s Lionel Messi will make history when they step on the pitch as the only players to ever appear in six men’s World Cups.
Ronaldo said this will “definitely” be his last appearance for Portugal on the World Cup stage. There was a question about whether he’d play in another tournament following the team’s stunning loss to Morocco in the previous World Cup.
Trump has also been heavily involved in the sport, and his FIFA task force is preparing for next year’s tournament, which will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo arrives at Carrington Training Ground in Manchester, England, July 26, 2022. (Peter Powell/PA via AP)
The World Cup begins June 11, 2026, and concludes July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
