Soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, right, listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a dinner for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the East Room of the White House, Washington. (AP)

WASHINGTON, Nov 19, (AP): Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was at the White House on Tuesday as President Donald Trump hosted a glitzy dinner to honor Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The soccer star was seated near the front of the East Room, not far from where the president and Crown Prince gave remarks to officials from both nations, along with major business leaders such as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Tesla founder Elon Musk.

Trump, in his speech, made a point of recognizing Ronaldo, whom he said he introduced to his teenage son.

Ronaldo has been the face of the Saudi soccer league since joining Saudi club Al-Nassr at the end of 2022 on a reported $200 million-a-year contract.

The 40-year-old Portuguese star signed a two-year extension in June with Al-Nassr, which is majority owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund that the Crown Prince chairs.

Trump thanked the athlete for attending. He said that his youngest son, Barron, is a "big fan” of Ronaldo, and the 19-year-old was impressed that he got to meet the soccer player.

"Barron got to meet him. And I think he respects his father a little bit more, now, just the fact that I introduced you,” Trump said.

Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup after FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, shaped a fast-track bidding process two years ago that helped ensure there was no rival bid.

Ronaldo promoted that bid, saying last December when the Saudi win was confirmed, "after what I see, I’m more convinced that 2034 will be the best World Cup ever.”

Ronaldo is set to play at a record sixth edition of the World Cup next year after Portugal qualified Sunday for the tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. However, he likely will be banned by FIFA for Portugal’s first game next June after getting his first red card last week in 23 seasons playing for the national team.

Portugal will learn its World Cup opponents on Dec. 5 at the tournament draw, which Trump is set to attend at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Trump has closely aligned himself with the 2026 World Cup. In the Oval Office, he has a copy of the golden trophy loaned to him by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.