Argentina's soccer great Lionel Messi recently shared the stage with the former LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson as the duo received the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom. Messi and Johnson are considered two of the greatest athletes of their respective sports. Messi boasts an extraordinary list of accomplishments, including 45 team trophies, such as four UEFA Champions Leagues, twelve Big Five league titles, and two Copa América Cups. Notably, he secured the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and has claimed an unrivaled eight Ballon d'Or awards. The soccer forward has also set numerous records, including the most European Golden Shoes (6), most goals scored for a single club (672 with Barcelona), most goals in a domestic league (474), and the most matches played (26) and goal contributions (21) in FIFA World Cup history. The list of his achievements continues to grow.
In contrast, Johnson, who played for the Lakers for his entire basketball career, is also one of the greatest of the sport. His achievements include five NBA titles, three times NBA Finals MVP, three times NBA Most Valuable Player, 12-time NBA All-Star, and one Olympic gold that he won as part of team United States at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games.
With all those achievements in place, Messi and Johnson have added one more feather to their crown, which etched their names in an elite list of athletes.
Messi and Johnson's wall of fame just got better
Messi and Johnson were among the members who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday. They met the POTUS, Joe Biden, at the White House and were subsequently crowned with the honor. Notably, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is America's highest civilian award, and it is presented to the individuals who have made significant contributions to the prosperity, values, and security of the United States and maintaining world peace and other public or private endeavors. The medal is awarded annually to the individuals who fulfill the aforementioned criteria.
Besides Lionel Messi and Magic Johnson, José Andrés, Lionel Messi, Ashton B. Carter (posthumous), Bill Nye, George W. Romney (posthumous), George Stevens Jr., Ralph Lauren, Denzel Washington, Fannie Lou Hamer (posthumous), Jane Goodall, Robert F. Kennedy (posthumous), Hillary Clinton, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Tim Gill, Michael J. Fox, Bono, George Soros, Anna Wintour, and David M. Rubenstein are the others who received the honor.