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Lionel Messi becomes first footballer to win Princess of Asturias Award individually

Argentine football star Lionel Messi became the first footballer to individually win Spain's prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, receiving the 2026 honor at a ceremony in the northern Spanish city of Oviedo on Friday.

The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward accepted the award from Princess Leonor at the Campoamor Theatre, with Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia attending the ceremony.

Messi recognized for sporting achievements and charitable work

Announced on June 3, the award recognized Messi's football career alongside his charitable contributions and commitment to values, including humility, teamwork, and fair play.

The jury also highlighted his efforts to expand access to education and healthcare for disadvantaged children, emphasizing his dedication to collective success both on and off the field.

Messi joins previous football honorees

Although Messi is the first footballer to receive the award individually, the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports has previously recognized other prominent figures and teams in football.

Former Barcelona teammate Xavi Hernandez and Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas jointly received the distinction in 2012, while Brazil's national football team was honored in 2002 after securing its fifth World Cup title.

Source: https://www.turkiyetoday.com/world/typhoon-champi-leaves-over-146000-households-without-power-in-taiwan-3230917

FIFA princess receiving his princess award.

Best princess of all time

Ronaldo miscreants are already here showing their pains

What does that even mean

Winterhaven:
Ronaldo miscreants are already here showing their pains

lol

Dem
Go soon create camel of the dessert award for am

Fifa princess and Fifa wife

Grow up. That's my only advice to you

Brighton1:
FIFA princess getting his princess award.

Best princess of all time

Messi the fraud who rides on others to perform.

The programmed robot with just straight boring runs on the pitch. He must be supplied passes in the field so he can play. That was why he refused to leave barca for two(2) decades.

A coward.

Sha no let them peg you ooh

What's the meaning of this shiiit.

The gods must be crazy.

Maybe he's a she, who knows

Brighton1:
FIFA princess getting his princess award.

Best princess of all time

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Chai una go kill pesin with laugh o

The one and only princess of fifa

Great100000:
Source: https://www.turkiyetoday.com/world/typhoon-champi-leaves-over-146000-households-without-power-in-taiwan-3230917

your link is direction to an entirely different story. Please fix it

The greatest athlete of all time, an award that Nelson Mandela once won. This is my Goat.

Some people's goat will retire a useless player , he currently has no record on world football. I didn't mention name ooh We all know the greatest flop is the biggest football tournament. 6 times failure

Kalulu44:
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Chai una go kill pesin with laugh o

Some people talents na bad mouth!!!!

TheChameleon:
Grow up. That's my only advice to you

He stopped growing already. They're venting their anger on everyone ever since their yeye, self-acclaimed egocentric goat began to fail woefully. At least they got him the cheap version of the Balon D'or with their hard earned money, so they should stop getting obsessed with what their hands cannot reach. Dem olodos.

Love800:
Messi the fraud who rides on others to perform.

The programmed robot with just straight boring runs on the pitch. He must be supplied passes in the field so he can play. That was why he refused to leave barca for two(2) decades.

A coward.

Bad belle. Go and play na over sabi. U know football more than the full world that even CR7 admires him. Daft in reasoning. If u don't enjoy Messi's run, u purely don't know soccer. U sabi pass Ronaldinho them, coaches and admirers wey dey confirm Messi. Olodo

Congrats to The SI unit of football..No be FIFA help am win this one.

Why not give him Prime award. Why princess award?

Brighton1:
FIFA princess receiving his princess award.

Best princess of all time

he still bends your guy over

Love800:
Messi the fraud who rides on others to perform.

The programmed robot with just straight boring runs on the pitch. He must be supplied passes in the field so he can play. That was why he refused to leave barca for two(2) decades.

A coward.

And there's no footballer better than him

C.ronaldo admires who!
Lol.
All those things na just formality. For real life, ronaldo no send am.

Jahwinaboy:
Bad belle. Go and play na over sabi. U know football more than the full world that even CR7 admires him. Daft in reasoning. If u don't enjoy Messi's run, u purely don't know soccer. U sabi pass Ronaldinho them, coaches and admirers wey dey confirm Messi. Olodo

Dey whine yourself.

King pele is miles ahead of him.

If i mention ronaldo now, you go start to craze.

Seunmuham:
And there's no footballer better than him

Abeg make them give Ronaldo one award na!

Love800:
Messi the fraud who rides on others to perform.

The programmed robot with just straight boring runs on the pitch. He must be supplied passes in the field so he can play. That was why he refused to leave barca for two(2) decades.

A coward.

Isaac Newton makes it simple. He said, if I see father than my colleagues, is by standing on the shoulders of the giants. Part of the criteria for chosen him was because he is a teamwork man. Any endeavours that there is no teamwork, such organization is bound to fail. This has helped his career and all the teams he played for.

Jahwinaboy:
Bad belle. Go and play na over sabi. U know football more than the full world that even CR7 admires him. Daft in reasoning. If u don't enjoy Messi's run, u purely don't know soccer. U sabi pass Ronaldinho them, coaches and admirers wey dey confirm Messi. Olodo

Some people are born naturally to go against good thing in life. Same is obtainable in Nigeria politics and that is why our country is not moving forward.

shadyLP:
Some people talents na bad mouth!!!!

I swear to God, Night of a thousand laughs for fit them

Love800:
Messi the fraud who rides on others to perform.

The programmed robot with just straight boring runs on the pitch. He must be supplied passes in the field so he can play. That was why he refused to leave barca for two(2) decades.

A coward.

but ronaldo will never smell world cup trophy. It gives us joy to know this

Messi should have worn a pink suit since he is now a Barbie doll man receiving princess award

Chaiii.
This one weak me..
Bros be calming down na 😂 😂 😂

Yugoslavia247:
lol

Dem
Go soon create camel of the dessert award for am

Love800:
Dey whine yourself.

King pele is miles ahead of him.

If i mention ronaldo now, you go start to craze.

Even admitted that messi is the greatest.and your god wished to be like messi