The Argentine star Lionel Messi sparked a wave of controversy after appearing alongside U.S. President Donald Trump during an official event at the White House, where he was captured clapping for Trump as he delivered a speech addressing the tensions and ongoing war with Iran.

Messi's presence with his team, Inter Miami, came as part of an official reception for the team. However, the event quickly turned into a controversial issue after Trump, in his speech, referred to military developments related to Iran, while the Argentine player stood behind him applauding. This spread widely across social media.

These clips elicited mixed reactions among the audience, with some considering Messi's appearance in this context as imparting an undesirable political dimension to a sporting event, while others believed the player attended solely in his sporting capacity and was not involved in any political stance.

This incident once again highlights the ongoing debate about the intersection of sports and politics, especially when it involves global stars like Messi, whose actions and public stances often become a topic of widespread discussion around the world.