Barcelona Salute Messi After Princess of Asturias Sport Award Win
Barcelona have congratulated Lionel Messi after he received the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sport at Oviedo’s Campoamor Theatre, hailing the former captain’s contribution to football and his enduring connection with the club.
Messi became the first player to receive the distinction as an individual. The award recognises not only his playing career but also his commitment to the sport and charitable work.
Quick facts
- Lionel Messi received the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sport in Oviedo.
- He is the first footballer to win the prize individually.
- Barcelona said his talent and solidarity had made him a global reference point.
- Messi joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy at 13 and spent 17 seasons with the senior side.
- The honour follows Argentina’s defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
In its message, Barcelona described the award as thoroughly merited recognition for Messi’s exceptional ability, sporting commitment and work away from the pitch. The club said those qualities had left a lasting mark on world football.
Barcelona also pointed to the central role the club played in Messi’s career, stressing that their shared history remains a source of institutional pride. The statement underlined that the relationship formed during his years in Catalonia remains part of the club’s identity.
Messi arrived at Barcelona as a teenager and went on to establish virtually every major individual club scoring record while helping the side win league titles and Champions League trophies. His 17 first-team campaigns made him the defining figure of one of the most successful periods in Barcelona’s history.
The Asturias selection in Oviedo placed particular weight on Messi’s humility and philanthropic activity alongside his footballing achievements. It offers Spanish recognition of a player whose influence has extended beyond domestic rivalries and whose playing career is still active.
The ceremony came after a difficult summer for Messi and Argentina, who lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain. There were subsequent calls in Spain for the honour to be rescinded, but the foundation retained Messi among its laureates.
Barcelona’s response reflected the affection that remains for a player whose exit ended his physical spell at Camp Nou but not his standing within the club. The tribute made clear that Messi’s legacy will continue to be treated as a benchmark for future Barcelona players.
