Lionel Messi Receives the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports

Footballer Lionel Messi received the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports from Princess Leonor of Asturias at a ceremony held at the Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo, Spain.

Attending the ceremony alongside his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and members of the Spanish Royal Family, Lionel Messi reached a total of 1,000 individual career awards with this honor. The award committee cited not only Messi's achievements on the pitch but also his contributions to the health and education of disadvantaged children through the Leo Messi Foundation. Messi became the first footballer to win this historic award individually.

The 39-year-old Argentine player delivered an emotional speech, dedicating the award to his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away in August. At the end of the ceremony, the audience gave Messi a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes.