This story was updated on January 5 to reflect that Messi was not in attendance for the Medal of Freedom ceremony.

Football superstar Lionel Messi has earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the United States government. Messi was one of 19 individuals who received the distinction from President Joe Biden at the White House on January 4, although the World Cup star was absent from the ceremony. He became the first Argentine — and the first male football player — to earn the award.

Messi is currently staying in Argentina before resuming his Inter Miami training in the United States. According to the Washington Post, a “scheduling conflict” prevented him from visiting the White House. The Argentine newspaper Clarín revealed Sunday that the national hero sent a letter to Biden in December explaining that he would be unable to travel to Washington, D.C., to accept his prize.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor of the country. It is presented to individuals who have made “exemplary contributions” either to the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors. It was created in 1963 by then-President John F. Kennedy and has been awarded to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Pope John XXIII, and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Other athletes to receive the award include Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, and Simon Biles. 

In addition to being the “most decorated player” in football history, a White House press release cited the work Messi has done to support healthcare and education programs for children through the Messi Foundation, as well as through his work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. 

The Leo Messi Foundation was created in 2007 to “generate new opportunities to fulfill the dreams of children around the world.” It has assisted and supported programs devoted to the wellbeing of children in Mozambique, Syria, Mexico, Gaza, Spain, and Argentina. Lionel Messi became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2010 and focused on campaigns supporting HIV prevention, education, and the social inclusion of disabled children.

Among the other 18 people set to receive the award alongside the Argentine star are basketball icon and former Los Angeles Lakers star Earvin “Magic” Johnson, U2 rock band frontman Bono, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, actors Michael J. Fox and Denzel Washington, and investor and philanthropist George Soros. 

The White House called the 19 individuals “great leaders,” who have made “extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.”