Lionel Messi received Spain’s top sports honor on Friday, recognizing both his legendary football career and his ongoing commitment to helping disadvantaged children access healthcare and education. The 39-year-old Argentine forward was originally named the winner of the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports in June, with the selection panel praising "the most successful footballer of all time" along with his social impact work.
The ceremony took place in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias in northern Spain, where fans clad in Argentina national team shirts gathered to cheer for Messi as he arrived to the sound of bagpipes and drums. He accepted an official parchment scroll from Princess Leonor, the heiress to the Spanish throne, who commended his "unique career."
“He turned the extraordinary into routine by reading the game and deciding on the most effective option in fractions of a second, while respecting the collective essence above ego,” Princess Leonor said during the event.
English (US) ·