Lionel Messi, the Argentine soccer superstar, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Biden, but he was unable to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts. Messi's absence was noted by the White House and Major League Soccer, while Messi himself has yet to publicly comment on the award.
Soccer legend Lionel Messi was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday, but he did not attend the White House ceremony to receive the medal from President Biden. Messi was one of 19 recipients of the award, alongside NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. According to USA Today, Messi's management team and his pro team, Inter Miami, informed the White House ahead of time that he would not be able to attend due to scheduling conflicts. Messi came to the U.S.
in 2023 to join Major League Soccer's Inter Miami, in one of the biggest superstar recruitments in the league's 31-year history. Messi had only played in European leagues and for Argentina's for most of his career to that point. 'Leo Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional football. He supports health and education programs for children worldwide through his Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador,' a White House spokesperson announced as Biden held the medal. Major League Soccer released a brief social media statement congratulating Messi on the award. Messi himself has not acknowledged the award with a social media post at the time of publication. According to USA Today, the star said that 'he is deeply honored and it is a profound privilege to receive the recognition.' The medal is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to people who have made 'exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal, public or private endeavors,' according to the White House. Biden's re-election campaign mentioned Messi's arrival to Major League Soccer as a catalyst for soccer's growing significance among U.S. audiences, during the 2024 Copa America soccer tournament in Atlanta in June
Lionel Messi Presidential Medal Of Freedom White House Major League Soccer Soccer
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