Ronaldo, photographed at the event with his longtime partner Georgina Rodríguez, was among several notable guests, including tech mogul Elon Musk and Apple chief executive Tim Cook. ..Continue Reading
FIFA president Gianni Infantino was also present, though much of the attention centered on Ronaldo, who has been a key figure in Saudi football since his move to Al-Nassr in late 2022.
Saudi Arabia is currently advancing a national initiative known as The Vision, designed to promote broader economic and social development beyond its traditional oil dependency.
The Saudi Pro League continues to draw elite talent, with Ronaldo — a five-time Ballon d’Or recipient — reportedly earning $200 million annually, making him the league’s highest-paid player.
After expressing his interest in meeting Trump during a conversation with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo had the opportunity to meet both the president and his son, Barron, this week.
“This room is loaded up with the biggest leaders in the world – business, sports,” Trump said in a speech on Tuesday. “My son is a big fan of Ronaldo. Barron got to meet him and I think he respects his father a little bit more now.”
Inbaal Honigman, a body language specialist, offered insights into Ronaldo’s presence at The White House as Trump’s guest.
“Cristiano Ronaldo looks muted, almost humble,” said Honigman, as per Bettinglounge.
“His head is leaning slightly forwards and his arms are covering his torso in a protective gesture. It would appear that his hands are nestled together, as if he’s trying to keep himself to himself, and not take any of the limelight away from the important political processes taking place around him.”
Honigman also reviewed a selfie posted to X by South African businessman David Sacks, taken by Ronaldo and featuring several influential figures from politics and tech.
Sacks, the investor and Craft Ventures founder whose net worth is estimated between $200 million and $2 billion, appeared near the back of the image.
He was pictured alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Open AI president Greg Brockman, tech billionaire Elon Musk, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and his wife Allison, as well as Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez.
“In the selfie picture, Ronaldo’s smile appears to be an attempt to show he is much happier than he actually is,” said Honigman.
“He exposes his teeth in a presumed attempt to come across as happy and maybe even thankful for being in the position he’s in, but most body language cues and facial expressions associated with smiling are absent.
“The corners of his mouth are not turned up in a way that would suggest happiness. His cheeks are not rounded and his eyes are not squeezed shut in a way that would show that he smiles with his full face.
“Compare him in the picture with Elon Musk, who is clearly beside himself with joy. Musk’s cheeks are rounded and raised. His eyes are squeezed shut and his lips are turned upwards. He is elated.
“Ronaldo’s expression, by contrast, is muted. He is being polite but not overjoyed.”
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