Desh report:
Lionel Messi was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Joe Biden on Saturday but did not attend the ceremony at the White House.
The Argentine World Cup winner and eight times Ballon d’Or winner, now plays in the United States for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.
Messi is the first Argentine to receive the honor and the first male soccer player.
But while other recipients of the award, including U2 singer and activist Bono, former basketball star Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, attended the ceremony at the White House, Messi was absent.
Messi’s representatives said in a statement distributed by Inter Miami that Messi had a prior commitment.
‘The White House informed FIFA, who informed the club at the end of December that Leo was going to be awarded with this recognition,’ the statement read.
