Messi was due at the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, but he was conspicuously absent.
The star-studded ceremony included Denzel Washington, Bono, Magic Johnson, and Hillary Clinton, but Messi was nowhere to be seen.
The official reason for Messi’s absence was a “scheduling error”.
However, no one was sent in his place to accept his honor, thus his name was not even mentioned when the 2025 medal recipients were announced at the glamorous ceremony in Washington.
“The White House informed FIFA, which informed the club at the end of December that Leo was to be awarded this recognition,” read Messi’s statement.
“Leo, through the club, sent a letter to the White House saying that he feels deeply honored and that it is a great privilege to receive this recognition but that due to scheduling conflicts and prior commitments, he will not be able to attend. The statement continued: “He thanked the gesture and noted that he hopes to have the opportunity to meet with him in the near future.”
Messi had received the award not just for his outstanding performance on the field, but also for his charitable activities.
The White House said in a statement: “He supports healthcare and education programs for children around the world through the Leo Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.”
Messi is currently taking a break from football during the offseason to spend time with his family.
The Argentine will return to play for the new season next month, as he enters the final year of his current deal with Inter Miami.
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