Revealed: Details of Personal Gift Cristiano Ronaldo Received from Donald Trump

Cristiano Ronaldo was presented with a symbolic golden key to the White House by Donald Trump during a high-profile visit this week, an honor personally designed by the US President for distinguished guests.

The Portuguese football icon met with Trump as part of a Saudi Arabian delegation led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit marked Ronaldo's first public appearance in the United States since a 2017 rape allegation, which he has consistently and vehemently denied.

Trump warmly welcomed the 40-year-old star and his fiancée, Georgina Rodriguez, offering them a personal tour of the Oval Office. The key, a rare and significant gesture, is a personal tradition of Trump's, not a standard presidential convention.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Google News, Stay informed with Latest Sport News

Ronaldo joins an exclusive list of recipients that includes Elon Musk, former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was the first to receive one in 2020.

Ronaldo, the first athlete to be given the gift, was photographed holding the key while posing with Rodriguez and Trump at the president's desk. An official later confirmed to the Daily Mail that it was indeed a key to the White House.

Another photo from the meeting showed the soccer star holding a model of a B-2 stealth bomber, the same type of aircraft Trump used in a June military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities. The operation, which Trump lauded as a "spectacular military success," involved seven B-2 bombers and dozens of missiles targeting sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.

Following the meeting, Trump praised the football legend on his Truth Social platform. "Ronaldo is a GREAT GUY," he wrote. "Loved meeting him at the White House. Really smart, and cool!!!" The post was accompanied by an AI-generated video depicting the two playing soccer in the Oval Office.

The visit comes as Ronaldo's long absence from the US has been a topic of discussion, coinciding with the legal case brought by American teacher Kathryn Mayorga. Since the allegations surfaced, Ronaldo has not participated in any US-based exhibition matches with his former clubs Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United, or his current Saudi team, Al Nassr.

However, with Portugal having recently qualified for next summer's World Cup—to be held primarily in the United States—and a friendly match scheduled against the US in Atlanta next March, Ronaldo's presence on American soil has become a significant point of interest.

The lawsuit against Ronaldo was dismissed by a US judge in 2022 after it was determined that the accuser's lawyer had improperly used leaked and stolen documents. Ronaldo had previously reached a $375,000 out-of-court settlement in 2010, but the case was reopened seven years later.

Recent months have seen a series of friendly gestures between the two public figures. In July, Trump received a Portugal jersey signed by Ronaldo with the message, "To president Donald J. Trump, Playing for Peace." More recently, in an interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo expressed his admiration for Trump's efforts in global peacemaking.

"He is one of the guys who can help to change the world," Ronaldo said. "One of the most important guys is the US President. He is one of the guys I wish to meet to sit and have a nice talk."

Cristiano Ronaldo faces a potential World Cup ban following a red card for violent conduct during Portugal's qualifier against Ireland on November 13. The superstar was sent off, an offense that typically carries a suspension of up to three competitive matches under FIFA regulations.

Ronaldo has already served part of his suspension, sitting out Portugal's final qualifier against Armenia. However, with Portugal's next competitive fixtures scheduled for the World Cup in June, any further ban imposed by FIFA would see him sidelined for the opening matches of the tournament.