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Messi arrives in Oviedo to receive Princess of Asturias Award

Argentine footballer Lionel Messi has travelled to the Asturian city to attend the 2026 Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony, where he will be honoured in the Sports category.

22 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Messi arrives in Oviedo to receive Princess of Asturias Award — Archive photoPhoto: Ebyabe · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5

Lionel Messi has arrived in Oviedo accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, to receive the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports. His arrival has generated considerable anticipation in the city, where hundreds of supporters gathered from early morning at the Hotel de la Reconquista, where the Argentine footballer is staying, to greet him amid shouts and applause.

The forty-sixth edition of the Princess of Asturias Awards will take place on Friday, 23 October at the Teatro Campoamor in the Asturian capital. In addition to Messi, those being honoured include singer Patti Smith and American astronaut Christina Koch. The Spanish royal family, headed by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, will attend the event, along with Princess Leonor, Infanta Sofía and Queen Emeritus Doña Sofía.

According to reports, Messi arrived in Oviedo dressed in formal attire. His presence in the city has commanded considerable public attention, with Oviedo transforming into a celebration of football in the days leading up to the ceremony.

The anticipation generated by the footballer's attendance has been reflected in the significant number of supporters who gathered to greet him. Many of them are Argentine fans who travelled specifically to witness his arrival in the Asturian city.

The Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony represents one of the most prominent events in Spain's official calendar. For Princess Leonor, the awards that bear her name constitute one of the year's moments of greatest prominence since she came of age, having taken part in the ceremony since her debut in 2019.

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