Messi, 39, was announced as the award’s recipient in June, with the jury praising him as “the most successful footballer of all time” and recognising his contribution to social causes.
The football superstar was welcomed by dozens of cheering fans wearing Argentina jerseys as he arrived at the award ceremony in Oviedo, the capital of Spain’s northern Asturias region. The occasion was marked by bagpipes and drums as supporters chanted his name.
Messi received the formal award parchment from Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, who praised his extraordinary achievements and described his career as unique.
In her remarks, Leonor highlighted Messi’s ability to read the game, make decisive choices within fractions of a second and place teamwork above individual recognition.
Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, lifted the FIFA World Cup and secured numerous trophies at club level. He spent 21 years at Barcelona, helping the Spanish club dominate domestic and European football during the managerial tenures of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.
After leaving Barcelona in 2021, Messi joined French club Paris Saint-Germain, where he spent two seasons before moving to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), where he currently plays.
Messi holds Argentina’s national records for goals, assists and appearances. The supplied report says he ended his international career earlier this year following a World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey.
Speaking at an event for children in Oviedo on Thursday, Messi stressed the importance of accepting both victory and defeat, describing the ability to handle both outcomes as fundamental to football.
Established in 1981, the Princess of Asturias Awards are among the most prestigious honours in the Spanish-speaking world. Each award carries prize money of €50,000 ($56,000) and recognises achievements across fields including the arts, sciences and sports, with a broader aim of promoting solidarity, peaceful coexistence and international cooperation.
Other recipients honoured on Friday included British author Julian Barnes, American astronaut Christina Koch and punk musician Patti Smith. Previous winners of the sports award include tennis champions Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge and American skiing star Lindsey Vonn.
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