Inter Miami coach Cristian "Kily" González has confirmed that Lionel Messi will travel to Spain next week to receive the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports. Messi is due to attend the ceremony in Oviedo on Oct. 22, before rejoining the club for Miami's MLS match against the New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey, two days later.
González said he had no concerns about the schedule. "Yes, he does have this event [in Oviedo], and I love that he will assume it in this way. The whole club agrees that he should be there because it is a terribly important award, not just for him but for his family," he told reporters on Friday. He added that he would count on Messi for the game against the Red Bulls, describing it as a possibility rather than an advantage: "He needs this. He'll be there, then I will have him at the game so I'm not worried about that at all."
The Princess of Asturias Award recognizes individuals and institutions for notable achievements in fields including literature, social sciences, scientific and technical research, international cooperation and sports. Messi became the first individual football player to receive the honor from the jury when it was announced in June. In a statement at the time, Messi said it was a great pride to be recognized "not only for what I do on the pitch but also off the pitch."
On the field, Inter Miami currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference and secured its place in the 2026 MLS playoffs on Wednesday. Messi leads the MLS Golden Boot race with 23 goals, four ahead of FC Dallas' Petar Musa. Before facing the Red Bulls, Miami will visit Atlanta United FC on Saturday.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing