United States President Donald Trump has sparked considerable discussion after sending a video message to Cristiano Ronaldo, hailing him as the greatest footballer of all time.

The video, posted on Trump’s TikTok account, emerged following Ronaldo’s visit to the Oval Office in November as part of a Saudi Arabian delegation. In the clip, Trump declared the Al-Nassr player the “best ever” and extended an invitation to the USA.

“Cristiano Ronaldo, you’re the best ever, we need you to come to America,” Trump stated. “Start moving right away, we need you quickly.”

The video was subsequently followed by an AI-generated clip depicting Trump and Ronaldo engaged in a casual football match within the President’s office.

Trump has recently been a notable figure in football news, having attended last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He also received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from President Gianni Infantino ahead of last year’s World Cup draw.

Speculation suggests Trump’s message to Ronaldo, 41, could be an encouragement to rekindle his rivalry with Lionel Messi in Major League Soccer (MLS). This possibility gained traction in recent weeks when the Al-Nassr player reportedly refused to play, protesting perceived mismanagement of his team by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Ronaldo’s Oval Office visit in November marked his first time in the United States since 2014, when he played for Real Madrid against Manchester United in a pre-season game before a crowd of 109,318 fans. (LEADERSHIP)