Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has been named the recipient of the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, with the announcement made on Wednesday by the jury responsible for conferring the prestigious honour.
In a statement released by the Princess of Asturias Foundation, Messi was said to have been chosen in recognition of a career marked by sustained excellence, remarkable sporting achievements, and an enduring global impact on the game.
Born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, Messi began his footballing journey in the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys before joining FC Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy at the age of 13.
He made his senior debut in 2004 and went on to become one of the most decorated footballers in the history of the sport.
During his time at Barcelona, which spanned more than 15 years, 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.
Following his departure from Barcelona, Messi had a spell at Paris Saint-Germain before joining Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer, where he currently plies his trade.
On the international stage, he has claimed two Copa América titles and led Argentina to glory at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Messi has accumulated 47 career titles and a remarkable array of 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 the most goals scored in a calendar year, having netted 91 times in 2012, and has been named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year twice in 2020 and 2023.
The Foundation highlighted his journey from a child who overcame a growth condition to become a global symbol of consistency, humility, and commitment to the team.
It also recognised his humanitarian contributions through the Leo Messi Foundation and his role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
The Foundation noted that the award celebrates careers that, through the promotion and advancement of sport and social commitment, serve as an example of the positive values that sporting practice can bring to people.
A total of 27 candidates 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.
Previous winners in this edition include Patti Smith in Arts, Studio Ghibli in Communication and Humanities, David Klenerman, Shankar Balasubramanian, and Pascal Mayer in Technical and Scientific Research, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in International Cooperation, and Timothy Garton Ash in Social Sciences.
The Literature and Concord awards are yet to be announced.
The awards ceremony will take place in October in Oviedo, Spain, presided over by the King and Queen of Spain, alongside the Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofía.
Each award comes with a Joan Miró sculpture, a diploma, an insignia, and a cash prize of €50,000.