TThe soccer world recently witnessed Cristiano Ronaldo’s final action for the Portugal national team in the World Cup qualifiers. The superstar was shown a red card in the 59th minute of the 2-0 defeat to Ireland and will be ruled out of the final 2026 World Cup qualifiers. But his absence went largely unnoticed as Portugal defeated Armenia 9-1 to book their seventh consecutive World Cup appearance (Ronaldo’s sixth). They will also enter the tournament as one of the top 12 teams in the group stage draw.
CR7 and Saudi Crown Prince go on diplomatic visit with President Trump
Cristiano Ronaldo and his wife Georgina, who missed Sunday’s final, used the opportunity to visit the United States, one of the next countries to host the World Cup. But this visit is more than just a sightseeing trip. Cristiano Ronaldo will attend the White House with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and meet with President Donald Trump, according to MSNOWNews’ Jake Taylor.
Bin Salman, whom Ronaldo previously referred to as his “boss” in a high-profile interview with Piers Morgan, is returning to the United States for the first time in seven years to discuss the Abraham Accords and international relations from inside the Oval Office.
In the same interview a few weeks ago, Ronaldo openly stated that “Donald Trump is one of the people who can help change the world.” This comment suggests that Ronaldo likely knew about his upcoming White House visit in advance, as arranging such high-level meetings with dignitaries on a tight schedule requires considerable advance planning.
Given his unparalleled global celebrity, Ronaldo is the most followed user on Instagram with over 668 million followers, so his presence alongside the Crown Prince will undoubtedly increase the international attention surrounding the diplomatic visit.
Ronaldo, Messi, and the Simpsons’ favorable predictions
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely considered to be one of the most famous people on the planet, along with Lionel Messi. This status is built on a legendary career in football, highlighted not only by his record as the all-time leading scorer, but also by his transformative influence on every team he joined. He and Messi became the first players to appear in six World Cups, and their historic careers in Portugal will continue, with them always competing side-by-side for the record.
Messi has ensured victory at the last World Cup, to be held in Qatar in 2022, while Ronaldo has a piece of pop culture history and a bright spot ahead of the next tournament. The Simpsons, known for its many accurate predictions on air, once predicted that Portugal would win the 2026 World Cup in the finals against Mexico, one of the three host countries (along with the United States and Canada). Whether this prediction comes true remains to be seen, but the star’s career continues to be filled with historic milestones both on and off the pitch.
