Argentine football icon and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is set to travel to Spain to receive the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, marking the first time in the 43-year history of the prize that an individual football player has been granted the honor.
According to a report by international outlet Parlamen Today, the formal presentation will take place on October 23 during a solemn royal gala at the historic Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo. The honors will be conferred by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain. Along with the title, laureates in each category receive a commemorative diploma, an insignia badge, an endowment of €50,000 ($54,000), and a bespoke bronze sculpture originally designed by master Catalan artist Joan Miró.
Messi was selected unanimously during the jury’s final deliberations in Oviedo on June 3, prevailing from a competitive shortlist of 27 nominees recognized across the international sporting sphere. The adjudication panel praised not only Messi’s unparalleled consistency and achievements on the pitch—most notably captaining Argentina to World Cup glory—but also highlighted his humility and his expansive, long-standing humanitarian initiatives advancing education and pediatric healthcare for underprivileged children globally.
Established in 1981 and overseen by the Princess of Asturias Foundation, the annual prizes honor extraordinary contributions across eight disciplines: the arts, communication and humanities, social sciences, literature, international cooperation, technical and scientific research, concord, and sports. Messi’s distinction cements his place among an exclusive pantheon of sporting legends recognized with Spain’s foremost international decoration.
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