Argentinian footballer, Lionel Messi, has won the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports.
The award was announced on Wednesday by the jury responsible for conferring the award.
A statement released by the convener, Princess of Asturias Foundation, said Messi was selected in recognition of a career defined by sustained excellence, sporting achievement and global impact.
Born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina, Messi rose from Newell’s Old Boys youth system before joining FC Barcelona’s La Masia academy at the age of 13.
He made his first-team debut in 2004 and went on to establish himself as one of the most decorated footballers in history.
During more than 15 years at Barcelona, he won 35 trophies, including four UEFA Champions League titles, 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and eight Spanish Super Cups.
The Argentine later joined Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer, where he currently plays.
On the international stage, he has won two Copa América titles and captained Argentina to victory at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Messi is widely regarded as one of the most successful footballers of all time, with 47 career titles and multiple individual honours.
He has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, The Best FIFA Men’s Player award on three occasions, and the European Golden Boot six times.
He also holds the Guinness World Record for most goals scored in a calendar year, with 91 goals in 2012, and is a two-time Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (2020 and 2023).
The Foundation highlighted his role as a global sporting figure who overcame early health challenges linked to a growth condition in childhood and became a symbol of consistency, humility and team commitment.
It also noted his philanthropic work through the Leo Messi Foundation and his role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
The Princess of Asturias Foundation stated that the award recognises “careers which, via the promotion, fostering and advancement of sport and social commitment, have become an example of the benefits that practising sports can bring to people.”
A total of 27 candidatures from 12 nationalities were considered for this year’s sports award.
The sports category is the sixth of eight Princess of Asturias Awards to be announced in the foundation’s 46th edition.
Earlier winners include Patti Smith (Arts), Studio Ghibli (Communication and Humanities), David Klenerman, Shankar Balasubramanian and Pascal Mayer (Technical and Scientific Research), the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (International Cooperation), and Timothy Garton Ash (Social Sciences).
The Literature and Concord awards will be announced in the coming weeks.
The awards ceremony will take place in October in Oviedo, Spain, and will be presided over by the King and Queen of Spain, alongside the Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofía.
Each award includes a Joan Miró sculpture, a diploma, an insignia and a cash prize of €50,000.
Saheed
