Madrid, 24 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has received Spain’s prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Sports in recognition of his outstanding football career and his efforts to improve disadvantaged children’s access to healthcare and education. The 39-year-old forward was named the award’s winner in June, with the jury describing him as “the most successful footballer of all time” while acknowledging his social contributions. Dozens of fans wearing Argentina football shirts cheered and chanted his name as he arrived at the ceremony in Oviedo, the capital of Spain’s northern Asturias region. Messi received the award’s formal parchment from Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, who praised his unique career and ability to make extraordinary achievements appear routine through his exceptional understanding of the game, rapid decision-making and commitment to teamwork over personal ego. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history, Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or titles, a FIFA World Cup and numerous club trophies. He spent 21 years at Barcelona, where he played a key role in the club’s dominance of Spanish and European football under managers Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

After leaving Barcelona in 2021, he played for Paris Saint-Germain for two years before joining Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer, assist provider and most-capped player, Messi also spoke to children at an event in Oviedo, emphasizing that learning how to accept both victory and defeat was fundamental to football. Established in 1981, the Princess of Asturias Awards are among the most prestigious honours in the Spanish-speaking world, with each award carrying prize money of 50,000 euros. The annual awards recognize outstanding contributions across fields including the arts, sciences and sports, promoting solidarity, peaceful coexistence and international cooperation. Other recipients at this year’s ceremony included British author Julian Barnes, American astronaut Christina Koch and punk music icon Patti Smith. Previous recipients of the sports award include tennis champions Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge and American skier Lindsey Vonn.