Former American soccer defender Alexi Lalas has criticized President Joe Biden’s decision to award Lionel Messi the Presidential Medal of Freedom, describing it as “strange and ridiculous.”
The Inter Miami captain was among 19 recipients of the prestigious honor last Saturday.
The award, considered the highest U.S. civilian honor, was also presented to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, LGBT activist Tim Gill, among others.
Speaking on his podcast, State of the Union, Lalas questioned the rationale behind the award, pointing out that Messi only moved to the United States in July 2023 after joining Inter Miami from Paris Saint-Germain.
“The fact that Messi received the Medal of Freedom is ridiculous,” Lalas said.
“He’s been here, what, a year and a half?”
He added, “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.”
Messi was not present at the event, as White House officials said the Argentine had a scheduling conflict.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was instrumental in Inter Miami winning their first-ever trophy, the 2023 Leagues Cup, and setting a record for the most points in a season.
