Javier Mascherano claims Inter Miami were misled about Donald Trump White House event
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said his team expected their recent White House appearance to focus on football, after the event took a broader political turn during remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Major League Soccer champions visited Washington to mark their 2025 MLS Cup victory, the club’s first league title. Inter Miami, featuring global stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, were invited as part of the longstanding U.S. tradition of honoring championship teams at the White House.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mascherano said the team had been told the visit would center on the sport.
“I thought we were going to talk football,” Mascherano said, according to the Miami Herald.
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He explained that the appearance had been arranged well in advance while the team was scheduled to play in Washington.
“We complied with a protocol that is a tradition to come to the White House for being the championship team,” he said. “It was planned a long time ago for the week we would play here in Washington.”
Mascherano added that the players spent only a brief period with the president.
“The contact with President Trump was what was seen on TV, not much more than that,” he said.
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During the ceremony, Trump praised Messi’s impact on the sport and suggested the Argentine forward could rival Brazilian legend Pele. The president also noted that his son Barron is a fan of the Inter Miami captain.
“He thinks you're just a great person,” Trump said. “He's a tremendous fan of yours, as well as a gentleman named Ronaldo.”
“Cristiano is great. Some big champions, some great, great athletes in that sport.”
Trump later handed Messi a pink football bearing his signature.
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However, the event briefly shifted away from football. According to Associated Press reporting, Trump used part of his remarks to discuss broader issues including the ongoing U.S. and Israeli military campaign involving Iran, along with comments on the stock market and political developments in Venezuela.
The ceremony eventually returned to Inter Miami’s title-winning season and the club’s rise since Messi joined the team in 2023 — a move widely credited with boosting Major League Soccer’s international profile.
Mascherano said the White House visit had been scheduled roughly six to eight weeks earlier, before tensions involving Iran escalated.
“The White House visit was planned between a month and a half and two months ago,” he said.
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Sources: Associated Press, Miami Herald, Goal, SportBible, 101 Great Goals
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