A Free Pass for Violence: The ‘Triple Collusion’ of Ronaldo, Trump and FIFA

Did they form a three-way alliance to serve their own hidden agendas?

Cristiano Ronaldo, the 40-year-old Portuguese soccer star, is at the center of controversy after striking another player with his elbow. Although he was disciplined, the incident is now being treated as if it never happened.

On Nov. 13 in Dublin, Ireland, Portugal faced Ireland in Group F’s fifth match of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in North America. Around the 61st minute of the game, Ronaldo was issued a red card after deliberately swinging his elbow at defender Dara O’Shea, who had been persistently blocking him. It was fortunate that O’Shea was struck in the back. Had Ronaldo hit his face, the injury could have been quite serious. As punishment for his actions, Ronaldo was given a three-game suspension. If the suspension had gone as planned, Ronaldo would have been sidelined for Portugal’s first two matches at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

This is where the situation gets strange. On Nov. 18, a few days after receiving a red card, Ronaldo and his fiancé, Georgina Rodriguez, met U.S. President Donald Trump while attending a banquet at the White House. The meeting was long-awaited for Ronaldo, who had praised Trump in a previous interview, calling him “one of the most important guys ... who can help change the world” and expressing his desire to meet him.

The state banquet was held for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who had decided to increase U.S. investments on a large-scale. The crown prince is also the de facto owner of Saudi Arabia’s pro soccer team Al-Nassr. Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr, had previously referred to the crown prince as his “boss.” Using this personal relationship, Ronaldo was likely able to attend the banquet. Trump rolled out the red carpet for Ronaldo, even gifting the soccer star, who has amassed over 550 million followers on Instagram, with a golden key to the White House. Additionally, social media videos were uploaded of President Trump and Ronaldo at the White House skillfully passing and dribbling a soccer ball. It is clear that the videos were intended to highlight 79-year-old Trump’s incredible flexibility and fitness. The video was made in order to flaunt Trump’s friendship with Ronaldo and capitalize on Ronaldo’s massive fan base while promoting Trump’s healthy image. The video, assumed to be created using artificial intelligence, has also sparked controversy in the United States, with many questioning to what extent politicians should be able to use these AI-generated videos.

After allegations emerged that Ronaldo sexually assaulted an American woman in 2017, Ronaldo did not participate in any events held in the United States. The lawsuit against Ronaldo was dismissed after it was found that the accusers had presented illegally obtained materials, including records acquired via hacking. Despite this dismissal, Ronaldo was still concerned that the controversy would resurface each time he visited the United States. To Ronaldo, showcasing his friendship with the U.S. president could have provided him with the opportunity to cover up his unfavorable image while also justifying his participation in the U.S.- hosted World Cup. There were elements of this meeting that both Ronaldo and Trump could have used to their advantage.

Also in attendance at the banquet was Gianni Infantino, president of the international soccer governing body, Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Among Ronaldo, President Trump and President Infantino, discussion topics likely included the U.S. World Cup and Ronaldo’s suspension. Since the banquet, there had been predictions that Ronaldo would not serve the full suspension. From President Trump’s standpoint, a decline in the World Cup’s popularity due to Ronaldo’s absence would not be pleasant, and the same would be true for FIFA’s, which earns huge profits from World Cup broadcasting fees.

As predicted, after the banquet, FIFA virtually erased the remaining suspension on Nov. 26 by giving Ronaldo a “grace period” of one year. It was decided that during this one year, if Ronaldo did not repeat the same foul, then his suspension would be lifted. As a result, Ronaldo’s path to playing in the first match of the World Cup has been cleared. FIFA added the unconvincing claim that Ronaldo’s actions were minor and that it was Ronaldo’s first red card in a FIFA-recognized senior international match. If that is the case, then what was the referee’s ruling after witnessing Ronaldo’s actions on the field? Should all follow-up disciplinary actions for every player in the world who has received their first red card also be withdrawn? FIFA’s decision has drawn criticism from many people, and suspicion has been raised about collusion between Trump and FIFA. FIFA has said little on the matter, but to fans, an issue involving the linked interests of a superstar, the U.S. president and FIFA can only be seen as “triple collusion.”