Fabien Le Floc’h, Media365: published on Saturday January 4, 2025 at 3:38 pm.
Two years after his arrival at Inter Miami, Lionel Messi will receive a prestigious award from American President Joe Biden.
If Lionel Messi fails to win Major League Soccer (MLS) this season with his club Inter Miami, the Argentinian will receive an unusual reward this Saturday in the United States. The 2022 world champion will receive from the hands of President Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedomnothing less than the highest American civilian distinction. The White House made this announcement this Saturday morning, while the ceremony is scheduled to take place in the afternoon in Washington. Lionel Messi is not the only athlete decorated by the Democratic president, who will give way to Donald Trump in a few days in the White House.
Magic Johnson was also rewarded
The former playmaker of FC Barcelona will be joined in this ceremony by another legendary playmaker, that of the Los Angeles Lakers, the basketball player Magic Johnson. They are the two athletes who will be honored with that distinction this year. The other 18 people who have received this prestigious award include former White House candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actor Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox, U2 singer Bono or the stylist Ralph Lauren and the fashion journalist Anna Wintour.
According to the White House, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, first awarded in 1963 during the presidency of John F. Kennedy, “is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other important social, public, or private endeavors. » The press release mentions the philanthropic work of Lionel Messi, through his foundation and through Unicef where he is an ambassador, with children to justify this award given to the Argentinian.