Lionel Messi has explained the reason for his surprise absence from an awards ceremony hosted by President Joe Biden at the White House.

The Argentine was named as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, alongside such luminaries as Hillary Clinton, Bill Nye and Jane Goodall. It’s the highest civilian honour in the United States but Messi was not in attendance.

However later on Saturday, Messi’s team issued a statement explaining why.

“The White House informed FIFA, which informed the club at the end of December that Leo was to be awarded this recognition.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. He thanked the gesture and noted that he hopes to have the opportunity to meet with him in the near future.”

The 37-year-old is known to be reluctant to appear in public and prioritises his privacy when away from the field. Nevertheless, failing to appear to receive an award from the President has surprised many.