Imagine being surrounded by a dazzling halo: wherever you go it's impossible not to be noticed. And imagine also that once you've been noticed, anyone – regardless of gender, age, education, political or religious beliefs – stands over you without letting you breathe, looking for a selfie, an autograph or any other proof that they've met you. This is the fate that usually befalls the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and very few others on planet Earth.
"Tell me a more famous person than me in the world," CR7 said a few days ago, and it's hard not to agree with him.
And yet Ronaldo has just had a truly unique experience: walking into a dining room full of people and being literally ignored. The video that shows him from the back at the state dinner hosted by Donald Trump at the White House is surreal: Cristiano looks around, but nothing happens. Nobody sees him, nobody looks for him. Nothing.
Somehow a really fascinating clip. It's probably the first time you see Ronaldo in a room full of people and not being the center of attention. No one has their phone in his face, no one is shouting or staring at him. He's just walking around like a completely normal person. I… pic.twitter.com/r0KtQMCnKn
— Freddy???????? (@FreddyLA7) November 19, 2025
Extremely elegant, the Al Nassr and Portuguese national team striker made his entrance on Tuesday evening in the "East Room" of the White House, in Washington, to sit - together with his partner and future fiancée Georgina Rodriguez - at the table reserved for the most considerate guests, located right in front of Trump, his wife Melania and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
???? JUST IN: Incredible moment as President Trump sits down for dinner with MELANIA, Cristiano Ronaldo, JD Vance, Apple CEO Tim Cook and others at the White House
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 19, 2025
Elon Musk is there too!
This is what true CLASS looks like.
47 knows how to be an amazing host. pic.twitter.com/lutnxNHDqy
So, the person for whom the entire event was prepared, with the aim not only of strengthening the strategic and economic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia (investments, arms sales, partnerships), but also of contributing to the international "rehabilitation" of bin Salman (after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, diplomatic isolation followed), giving him a prestigious stage and legitimacy in the eyes of the world.
Precisely for this reason, that is, to "inflate" the visibility of the event to the maximum, Trump has invited high-profile personalities such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Elon Musk, Tim Cook and many others to the dinner, including his recent great friend, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, no less happy to benefit from his privileged relationship with the president of the United States.
CR7 was there as an ambassador for Saudi Arabia, his new footballing homeland and more. Because when you're paid 200 million a year, it's clear that you're not just there to kick a ball into the net, but also to lend your face, your voice and your soul to the owner's cause. After all, Al Nassr is in the direct hands of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, that's clear...
Cristiano Ronaldo taking a selfie with Elon Musk, Infantino, Georgina Rodriguez and others at the White House. ???????? pic.twitter.com/1LVmPZQ51W
— The Touchline | ???? (@TouchlineX) November 19, 2025