Lionel Messi misses Joe Biden's Presidential Medal ceremony: Reasons explained

Soccer star Lionel Messi missed the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony on Saturday due to scheduling conflicts and prior commitments. President Joe Biden awarded the medals to 19 individuals for their contributions to the nation. Messi was among the honorees, which included Hillary Clinton, Magic Johnson, and Ralph Lauren.

Messi sent a letter to the White House expressing his regret for not attending. His PR team released a statement confirming this: “The White House informed FIFA, who informed the Club at the end of December that Leo was going to be awarded with this recognition. Leo, through the Club, sent a letter to the White House saying that he is deeply honored and that it is a profound privilege to receive this recognition, but that due to scheduling conflicts and prior commitments, he was going to be unable to attend.”

Messi's current location is reportedly a family vacation. His wife posted pictures on social media.


Some fans, however, slammed the soccer star for missing the ceremony.

The ceremony was President Biden’s last opportunity to award the Medal of Freedom before the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton received a standing ovation during the ceremony. Other recipients included Robert F. Kennedy, Fannie Lou Hamer, and George W. Romney.

During the ceremony, President Biden said, “For the final time as president, I have the honor of bestowing the Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor, on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people, who gave their sacred effort to shape the culture and the cause of America.”