Messi received a great honor when he was awarded a special medal by outgoing US President Joe Biden for ‘individuals with exemplary contributions’. But he was absent on the day of receiving the medal, January 5.
Messi is the first Argentine player to receive the honor from the President of the United States, joining the likes of Hillary Clinton, Bill Nye and Jane Goodall. This is the highest civilian honor in the United States, but surprisingly Messi did not attend.
The 37-year-old player is currently playing for Inter Miami in the MLS (American professional soccer league), creating a big impact on fans in this country who are increasingly interested in soccer, along with other sports.
Messi was honored for “his support of health and education programs for children around the world through his Leo Messi Foundation and his role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador,” the White House said in a statement.
However, at the ceremony to receive a special medal from US President Joe Biden on January 5, Messi was absent, leaving many people wondering why.
According to AS (Spain): “In fact, Messi’s representative team sent a letter to President Joe Biden, to explain why he could not attend the event that has a great honor for this famous player.”
“The White House informed FIFA (the World Football Federation), and FIFA informed the club (Inter Miami) at the end of December 2024 that Messi would be awarded this award. Messi, through the club, sent a letter to the White House saying that he felt extremely honored and that receiving this award was a great privilege.
But due to scheduling conflicts and previous commitments, he will not be able to attend the ceremony. He thanks the gesture and notes that he hopes to have the opportunity to meet the President of the United States in the near future,” said a statement from Messi’s team.
According to AS : “Messi has long been reluctant to appear in public at events outside of football. He prioritizes his privacy when he is not playing or in a resting period. However, the fact that Messi did not come to receive the honor from the US President has surprised many people, because this is a rare honor and very few people in the sports world can achieve it.”
Messi is currently resting with his family in his hometown in Argentina. He and his teammates are expected to return to Inter Miami to prepare for the new MLS 2025 season from January 10.
