“Spain doesn’t just compete, it conquers”

Pilar Gil, vice president of Prisa and CEO of Prisa Media, and José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, president of Spain’s National Sports Council, opened the 2025 AS Sports Awards Gala. After host Susana Guasch welcomed the audience, their remarks officially launched the evening.

Pilar Gil addressed the honorees and guests gathered at the Hotel Palace in Madrid with the following words:

“Thank you to everyone joining us tonight. It’s a privilege — and truly a bit of luck — to be here literally surrounded by winners. By so much talent and so much hard work. Two qualities I also recognize every day in the AS newsroom. Let’s not forget that something as simple as dreaming big was, until recently, considered unusual. You are an example of sacrifice and the ability to overcome challenges. That is how we live it at AS and across the Prisa Group.

I want to highlight that in 2025, once again, Spain doesn’t just compete — Spain conquers. Sport brings us together; it’s where we all meet. It creates common ground. And in the midst of all the noise that sometimes overwhelms us, you remind us that we share the same passion and the same heroes. Thank you, sincerely.

There is one name I must highlight tonight: Rafa Nadal. The AS Awards pay tribute to the greatest athlete in Spain’s history. Rafa hasn’t just filled headlines — he has filled us with inspiration. Nadal teaches us that greatness isn’t about winning every time; it’s about working with the conviction that every day we have to push ourselves and be better. That is the essence of sport: keep going, keep going, and keep going.”

Uribes: “Greatness paired with humility becomes even greater”

For his part, Rodríguez Uribes delivered the second address of the evening. The president of the National Sports Council also singled out Rafa Nadal from among all the honorees:

“It is truly a pleasure to join you once again at the AS Awards, an event that has become part of the emotional landscape of Spanish sport. This year, these awards carry a special resonance. They are not only a well-deserved recognition of our athletes — they also express sincere gratitude to an athlete we will never forget. I am speaking, of course, about Don Rafael Nadal. An extraordinary champion who has taught us that greatness, when paired with humility, becomes even greater. And it becomes eternal.

All of the honorees share something in common: the example they set. Because sport is, above all, a school of life. It is where you learn to fall and to get back up. To work tirelessly. To respect your opponent, who is never your enemy. It is where you discover that the impossible is often simply what you haven’t yet tried.

I also want to thank the Prisa Group and Diario AS for going beyond success. At the National Sports Council, the policies we are developing are designed to help athletes reach their best performance and to create more opportunities for them.

To all the honorees, all I can offer is my gratitude for your inspiration — and my promise that our institutions will be by your side. Congratulations, and thank you from the heart.”

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