Messi wins 2026 Princess of Asturias Sports Award

Argentinian football star Lionel Messi has bagged the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports.

The announcement came on Wednesday from the jury that gives out the award.

A statement from the Princess of Asturias Foundation said Messi was chosen for his long-lasting excellence, sports achievements, and global influence.

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. He started with the Newell’s Old Boys youth team before moving to FC Barcelona’s La Masia academy at 13.

He made his first-team debut in 2004 and became one of the most decorated footballers ever.

During his over 15 years at Barcelona, he won 35 trophies. This includes 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.

Later, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain and now plays for Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer.

On the international stage, he has won two Copa América titles and led Argentina to victory at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Messi is seen as one of the most successful footballers ever, with 47 career titles and many individual awards.

He has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, The Best FIFA Men’s Player award three times, and the European Golden Boot six times.

He also holds the Guinness World Record for the most goals scored in a calendar year, with 91 goals in 2012. He won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year twice, in 2020 and 2023.

The Foundation noted his journey as a global sports figure who overcame early health issues from a growth condition in childhood. He became a symbol of consistency, humility, and team spirit.

It also highlighted his charity work through the Leo Messi Foundation and his role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

The Princess of Asturias Foundation said the award honors “careers which, through promoting and advancing sports and social commitment, have shown the benefits sports can bring to people.”

This year, 27 candidates from 12 countries were considered for this sports award.

The sports category is the sixth of the eight Princess of Asturias Awards to be announced in the foundation’s 46th edition.

Other 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 soon.

The awards ceremony will happen in October in Oviedo, Spain. The King and Queen of Spain, along with the Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofía, will attend.

Each award comes with a Joan Miró sculpture, a diploma, an insignia, and a cash prize of €50,000.