How Messi’s White House visit matches his well-curated political image

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A shiny pink soccer ball helped Lionel Messi cross new heights. his visit to the White House;

Until Thursday, the global soccer superstar was equally adept at fending off on-field defenders and political leaders, especially those in his native Argentina. There were also questions about whether he would appear with the rest of Inter Miami to celebrate their MLS Cup win at the White House.

He was not among the members when the team assembled in the room. Instead, he entered with US President Donald Trump and team owner Jorge Mas Santos, before presenting Trump with a bedazzled ball.

Messi remained silent throughout, but his appearance seemed to speak volumes about a player whose politics are largely shrouded in mystery.

When Messi was captain of Argentina, Win the 2022 World Cup, The team refused to go to then-president Alberto Fernández’s Casa Rosada (Pink House). Argentina’s current president and Trump ally, Javier Millay, has been a vocal admirer of Messi, but has yet to make a public appearance or even take a photo with him. A year ago, Messi was invited by then US President Joe Biden’s administration to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but he was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.

Messi’s visit surprises some

In Argentina, the visit caused surprise and even dismay, especially among those who appreciated the national team captain’s non-involvement in politics, an Argentine characteristic. his predecessor, Diego Maradona. (Though some thought his appearance might be a boon for Argentina as they prepare for World Cup matches in the United States.)

But Kirk Bowman, a professor at Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Studies who studies soccer and politics in Latin America, wasn’t surprised by Messi’s visit.

“He’s very ‘long-termist’ in his career, not only as a player, but also as someone who leads a very strong team that builds long-term wealth,” Bowman said, pointing to his myriad investments, including shares in Inter Miami itself.

“He’s also very strongly embedded in the Miami community, which is a much more conservative soccer community than other parts of America,” Bowman added.

Messi stood by President Trump when he made comments about Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. At the end, the soccer star applauded. Messi’s supporters have defended him by saying he is not fluent in English, and Bowman says that perception is an “additional layer of brand protection”.

Representatives for Inter Miami and Messi did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press regarding the visit. Inter Miami Head Coach Javier Mascherano He was asked about this during a media briefing on Friday.

“I thought we would talk about football, but maybe we were out of luck. We were following the virtually traditional procedure of visiting the White House when a team becomes champion,” Mascherano said.

He said his team spent several hours at the White House and that their “contact with President Trump was what we saw on TV and nothing more.”

Maradona, Barcelona, ​​La Garganta Poderosa and…Saudi Arabia

Seeing the image of Messi and Trump, some fans aroused anti-American attitudes. The late Maradona, Another great soccer idol of Argentina. The captain of the 1986 World Cup winning team actively supported leaders like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. He even had an image of guerrilla fighter Ernesto “Che” Guevara tattooed on one arm.

In contrast, Messi has remained largely silent on issues in the various countries he has lived in, including Argentina, Spain, France and the United States. His career at FC Barcelona, ​​from his teenage years until his departure in 2021, coincided with a politically turbulent period in Spain. separatist movement in catalonia It poses a serious threat to cut off the Northeast from the rest of the country. But Messi avoided making any political statements, whether for or against the push for independence at its peak, which divided Catalonia’s 5 million voters.

He deftly knew how to maintain his status as the idol of the divided Barça fans, insisting on scoring goals and winning titles. A voice was heard shouting: “Vizca Barça, Vizca Catalunya!” (“Long live Barça, long live Catalonia!”), as they celebrated winning the title, were standard for the players and had little political overtones.

Otherwise, Messi had nothing but good things to say about the city he moved to when he was 13, although he did not speak the local Catalan language. In a 2024 interview with Catalan television station Tv3, Messi said, “My children are Catalan,” and “I feel like I’m from Barcelona.”

Interviews with Argentina’s left-wing magazine La Garganta Poderosa in 2011 and 2020 provided a glimpse of some political tendencies. In the first interview, Messi spoke positively about Guevara, and in the latter he said that inequality is one of society’s most pressing issues amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But overall, Bowman says Messi is unlikely to move further into politics.

“I don’t think he’s actually comfortable being a political figure, but I don’t feel uncomfortable being used for politics as long as the bottom line is positive,” he said.

Bowman pointed out that messi commercial contract Saudi Arabia Tourism Board and “Sports wash” suspicion What has continued. He also compared Messi’s approach to the kingdom’s typical “smear clause”.

“I think Messi is seen the same way,” Bowman said. “He will take part in things as long as they do not damage Messi’s brand.”

___

Sen reported from New York. Associated Press journalist Joseph Wilson in Barcelona. Ann M. Peterson of Portland, Oregon; Davidde Corran in New York and Carlos Rodriguez in Mexico City contributed reporting.