Lionel Messi’s journey in the United States has been filled with several recognitions, the latest being one of the 19 individuals who received the Medal of Freedom from the U.S. President Joe Biden. However, this decision was criticized by former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas.
Speaking on his podcast, “State of the Union,” Lalas described the decision as “ridiculous,” especially as Messi has been living in the United States since July 2023. “He’s been here, what, a year and a half?,” he questioned.
The former USMNT defender also slammed the Inter Miami forward for not attending the ceremony, “It’s strange, but if you’re given that honor, you should respect it, and Messi was the only one who didn’t attend the event.”
He added, “If he didn’t want to be part of this for any reason (political or personal), he could have said, ‘No, this isn’t going to happen,’ and they could have avoided it. But it looks worse because he wasn’t there.”
Ahead of the ceremony, the Argentine star explained his absence in a statement sent through Inter Miami. Writing that he was “deeply grateful” for the recognition, he alluded to a “prior commitment” as the reason to not be able to receive the honor in person.
Why was Messi honored with the Medal of Freedom?
According to the White House, Messi was honored with the Medal of Freedom due to his global philanthropic efforts, especially his work through Leo Messi Foundation and as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, as well as his illustrious career.
The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, and it is presented to “individuals who made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”
The Inter Miami star also became the first Argentine and the first male soccer player to earn the recognition. The first footballer to win the Medal of Freedom was USWNT star Megan Rapinoe, who earned it due to her advocacy to LGBTQ+ rights, as well as her sporting contributions.
This year, apart from Messi, the other sportsperson to receive the honor was NBA legend Magic Johnson. Other notable figures in the list were actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox, U2’s Bono, as well as fashion mogul and Vogue chief-in-editor, Anna Wintour.