Lionel Messi said in Oviedo ahead of the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports ceremony that he hopes to be remembered as a great athlete who always fought for his goals and dreams. Messi was named the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports laureate.
The award and its distinction
Messi became the first individual footballer to receive the honor.
The Princess of Asturias Foundation recognized not only Messi's brilliance on the pitch but also his charitable work through the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports education and healthcare for vulnerable children.
Messi's words in Oviedo
Speaking to EFE in Oviedo ahead of the award ceremony, Messi said: "Sometimes I succeeded in achieving what I wanted, sometimes I didn’t… but I never stopped trying to win everything that was in front of me."
Final defeats he referenced
Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain in extra time.
Reflecting on those final defeats, Messi said, "In football, winning is very difficult, and you have to appreciate the journey, because only one team can win."