What Is the Princess of Asturias Award and Why Will Lionel Messi Receive It?
The Argentine star will be honored Friday in Oviedo with one of the most prestigious awards in sports. But his historic career on the pitch is only part of the reason he was chosen.
Lionel Messi will add a very different honor to the Ballon d’Or awards, trophies and titles he has collected throughout his career. The Argentine will receive the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports in Oviedo on Friday, one of eight awards presented annually by the Princess of Asturias Foundation.
In the sports category, the award is not simply about victories or records. It recognizes careers that have contributed to the development of sport while also becoming an example through their social impact and the values they represent.
The ceremony is held every year at the Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo. The award includes a sculpture designed by Joan Miró, a diploma, an insignia and €50,000.
Why Was Lionel Messi Chosen?
The jury announced Messi as the winner on June 3, selecting him from 27 candidates representing 12 nationalities. And the reasoning went far beyond his trophy cabinet.
The Foundation highlighted his talent, extraordinary sporting career and charitable work, while also emphasizing his consistency, humility, team-first mentality and conduct on the pitch.
Add eight Ballon d’Or awards, countless individual honors and more than two decades among the biggest names in world football, and the scale of his career becomes even clearer.
His Work Away From the Pitch Also Mattered
But that is precisely one of the key elements of the Princess of Asturias Award: Messi was not chosen solely because of what he has done with a football.
He has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2010 and, through the Leo Messi Foundation, has supported projects focused on improving access to education and healthcare for children in vulnerable situations.
The jury specifically highlighted that long-term charitable work as part of its decision. In other words, the award recognizes the footballer, but also the impact his global profile has had beyond the sport.
After learning he had been selected, Messi acknowledged the importance Spain has had in his life and said that “this award has a very special value for me.”
Messi Joins a List Full of Sporting Legends
The Argentine also joins a group of previous winners that underlines the prestige of the award. Serena Williams received it in 2025, Carolina Marín in 2024 and Eliud Kipchoge in 2023.
Other recipients over the years include Rafael Nadal, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Pau and Marc Gasol, as well as Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning national team.
Now it is Messi’s turn. The Inter Miami forward will receive the award Friday at the Teatro Campoamor, adding a distinction that celebrates not only how much he has won, but what his career has come to represent both inside and outside football.
Why Messi Is Receiving the Princess of Asturias Award
- The jury highlighted his career, talent, consistency and commitment to team play.
- His work with UNICEF and the Leo Messi Foundation was an important part of the decision.
- The award recognizes not only his trophies, but also the social impact and values associated with his career.
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Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini
Inter Miami CF
