Touring Manchester United soccer players voiced their disappointment online Thursday after finding out US President Barack Obama was too busy to meet with them at the White House.
Countless US sports teams visit and pose for photographs with the president each year, but United players were overlooked as the showdown over the US debt crisis took center stage at the White House.
On Wednesday night the team beat the MLS All-Stars -- including former United star David Beckham -- 4-0 in a friendly at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
Striker Michael Owen tweeted, "Had a tour around The White House. Unfortunately never met The President as he was locked in meetings but a great experience all the same."
Teammate Federico Macheda went further, the Manchester Evening News reported, tweeting that missing Obama was, "So disapponting."
But it was Rio Ferdinand who apparently made the biggest impact in Washington.
Ferdinand tweeted from inside the White House that the security needed beefing up and posted a picture to back up his claim.
The photo, however, was quickly pulled down from the social networking site.
"Whoa....some1 has got into my phone + taken down my pics off twitter....this is deep...is jack Bauer in Washington?!" he tweeted, adding later that he felt like he was being watched.
