Messi declines participation in Biden's award ceremony - UPDATED

Argentine footballer and Inter Miami player Lionel Messi has declined to attend the ceremony for receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Report informs, citing the CBS News, that Messi was unable to attend the official event at the White House due to a tight schedule.

It should be noted that the Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor in the United States, awarded to individuals who have made "outstanding contributions to the prosperity of the United States, world peace, or other significant public, governmental, or private endeavors."

Recall that the legendary footballer visited Azerbaijan on December 11 last year and participated in a series of events. The World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, along with his teammates from the American club Inter Miami—Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba — first visited the Alley of Honor, where they laid flowers at the grave of national leader Heydar Aliyev. Following this, Messi and his teammates toured the Heydar Aliyev Center. During their visit, they were also introduced to Karabakh horses.

Messi additionally met with fans at an event organized at the Baku Crystal Hall. All proceeds from ticket sales were donated to charitable causes.

President Joe Biden will hold a star-studded ceremony at the White House Saturday for the latest batch of Medal of Freedom recipients -- which will include Bono, José Andres, Lionel Messi, Hillary Clinton, Jane Goodall and many more, Report informs via ABC News.

The medal is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to people who have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal, public or private endeavors," according to the White House.

Biden on Saturday named 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The president, the White House said in a statement, "believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot and put decency above all else."

"These 19 individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place," the statement added. "They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world."