Messi receives Spain’s top sports award from Princess Leonor

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Lionel Messi received Spain’s prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Sports on Friday in recognition of his remarkable football career and work supporting disadvantaged children’s access to healthcare and education.

The 39-year-old Argentine forward was named the award’s winner in June. The jury praised his achievements on the pitch and his social contributions, describing him as one of football’s most successful players.

Fans wearing Argentina jerseys cheered and chanted Messi’s name as he arrived at the ceremony in Oviedo, the capital of Spain’s northern Asturias region, accompanied by the sounds of bagpipes and drums.

Messi received the award, presented on a formal parchment, from Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne. Leonor praised his exceptional career, saying he consistently made extraordinary achievements seem routine by reading the game quickly and prioritising teamwork over individual ego.

Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or titles, a World Cup and numerous trophies at club level. He spent 21 years at Barcelona, where he played in teams that dominated Spanish and European football under coaches Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

After leaving Barcelona in 2021, he spent two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain before joining Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and record holder for appearances and assists, Messi reportedly ended his international career earlier this year after losing the World Cup final against Spain in New Jersey.

Speaking at an event with children in Oviedo on Thursday, Messi said knowing how to handle both victory and defeat was fundamental to football.

Established in 1981, the Princess of Asturias Awards are among the most prestigious honours in the Spanish-speaking world. Each award carries prize money of 50,000 euros, or approximately $56,000, and recognises contributions across fields including arts, science and sports that promote solidarity, cooperation and human coexistence.

Other recipients honoured on Friday included British author Julian Barnes, American astronaut Christina Koch and punk musician Patti Smith.

Previous winners of the sports award include tennis stars Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and American skier Lindsey Vonn.