"President Trump is keenly aware of the symbolism of hosting the World Cup during the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and as we saw at the Club World Cup he seeks to closely associate himself with the glitz and glamor of the tournament,"
"This has played out very visibly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, so it is no surprise to see Cristiano Ronaldo be drawn into the triangular Trump-Infantino-MBS orbit, given the significance of Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia and the importance of the Saudi relationship both to Trump and to FIFA."
"Saudi Arabia have been criticized for using sport as a way to distract attention from the country's human rights record. Indeed, earlier in November Ronaldo attended a tourism event in Riyadh, reiterating the role he wants to play in the country's World Cup in 2034. "I want to be part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to host the World Cup," Ronaldo said. "I believe in the tourism vision in the kingdom." As a result, some see Ronaldo's attendance at the White House as not just unsurprising but in fact as part of Ronaldo's job."
Cristiano Ronaldo attended a White House dinner on November 18 with US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Ronaldo has played club football in Saudi Arabia since 2023 and had not been in the United States in nearly a decade following 2009 rape allegations; criminal charges were dropped in 2019 and a civil lawsuit was dismissed in 2022, allowing his return. Observers link his presence to Saudi sports diplomacy, close ties between Saudi Arabia, FIFA and Trump, and efforts to associate major tournaments with political symbolism. Saudi Arabia faces criticism for using sport to deflect attention from human rights concerns; Ronaldo has publicly expressed support for Saudi tourism and a potential 2034 World Cup role.
Read at www.dw.com
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