Unstoppable: Lionel Messi adds another prestigious award to his collection
The Argentine icon has received another major honor, further cementing his status as a global sporting legend.
Lionel Messi has been awarded the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, one of Spain’s most prestigious honors, succeeding Serena Williams, who received the distinction last year. The jury recognized a career widely regarded as one of the greatest in sports history, defined by extraordinary team and individual achievements and an influence that extends far beyond the soccer field.
At 38, Messi boasts a résumé few athletes in any sport can match. After arriving in Spain from Argentina as a teenager, he rose through Barcelona’s youth academy and became the central figure in one of the most successful eras in club history.
At Camp Nou, Messi captured an array of domestic and international trophies, including four UEFA Champions League titles, 10 LaLiga championships, seven Copa del Rey crowns, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and eight Spanish Super Cups. He later added two French league titles and a domestic cup during his time with Paris Saint-Germain.
Now with Inter Miami, Messi has continued adding silverware to his collection, helping the club win an MLS Cup, the Leagues Cup and the Supporters’ Shield.
World Cup triumph completed his legacy
With Argentina, Messi reached the pinnacle of his career by winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the one major trophy that had previously eluded him. He also led his country to two Copa América titles, cementing his status as one of the defining figures in Argentine soccer history.
Individually, Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or awards and has received numerous honors recognizing him as the world’s best player. His accolades also include the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year. The Princess of Asturias Award now joins a trophy cabinet already filled with historic achievements.
Recognition beyond soccer
The jury, which included José Félix Díaz, editorial director of AS, and was chaired by Paralympic swimming legend Teresa Perales, praised both Messi’s accomplishments on the field and the global impact of a figure who has defined an era of soccer.
With this recognition, Messi joins a distinguished list of previous recipients that includes Serena Williams, Carl Lewis, Lindsey Vonn and Rafael Nadal
In its official decision, the jury highlighted “his dazzling talent, exceptional sporting career, and his remarkable and ongoing charitable work promoting access to education and health care for underprivileged children.”
The statement continued: “Leo Messi, the player who has won the most titles in the history of soccer, has also earned the respect and admiration of everyone through his exemplary conduct on the field and his consistency, humility and commitment to the collective spirit of the game.”
Recent Princess of Asturias Sports Award winners
2026: Lionel Messi (soccer)
2025: Serena Williams (tennis)
2024: Carolina Marín (badminton)
2023: Eliud Kipchoge (track and field)
2022: Refugee Olympic Team
2021: Teresa Perales (swimming)
2020: Carlos Sainz (motorsports)
2019: Lindsey Vonn (alpine skiing)
2018: Reinhold Messner and Krzysztof Wielicki (mountaineering)
2017: New Zealand All Blacks (rugby)
2016: Javier Gómez Noya (triathlon)
2015: Pau and Marc Gasol (basketball)
2014: New York City Marathon
2013: José María Olazábal (golf)
2012: Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernández (soccer)
2011: Haile Gebrselassie (track and field)
2010: Spain men’s national soccer team
2009: Yelena Isinbayeva (track and field)
2008: Rafael Nadal (tennis)
2007: Michael Schumacher (Formula One)
2006: Spain men’s national basketball team
2005: Fernando Alonso (Formula One)
2004: Hicham El Guerrouj (track and field)
2003: Tour de France (cycling)
2002: Brazil men’s national soccer team
2001: Manel Estiarte (water polo)
2000: Lance Armstrong (cycling)
1999: Steffi Graf (tennis)
1998: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (tennis)
1997: Spanish Marathon Team
1996: Carl Lewis (track and field)
1995: Hassiba Boulmerka (track and field)
1994: Martina Navratilova (tennis)
1993: Javier Sotomayor (track and field)
1992: Miguel Induráin (cycling)
1991: Sergey Bubka (track and field)
1990: Sito Pons (motorcycle racing)
1989: Seve Ballesteros (golf)
1988: Juan Antonio Samaranch (President of the International Olympic Committee)
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