Lionel Messi added an unprecedented honor to his storied football career on Wednesday, as the University of Buenos Aires’ Superior Council voted to award the Argentine national team captain its highest honorary distinction.
The recognition will be formally presented on Tuesday, October 6, ahead of his farewell match with the Argentine national team at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires City.
In the resolution, driven forward and approved unanimously by Buenos Aires University’s (UBA) Superior Council, the university stated that “his career constitutes an example of excellence, perseverance, humility and ethical conduct in the development of his profession, as well as a commitment to representing the Argentine Republic nationally, values this University has historically promoted.”
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The resolution also highlighted the four consecutive major titles Messi won with the senior national team, the 2021 America Cup, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the 2024 America Cup, an achievement without precedent in the sport’s history.
University’s Rector Ricardo Gelpi summarized the decision by saying that “beyond what all Argentines already know about Messi, regardless of the numbers and statistics that reflect his standing as an athlete, we also want to recognize a humble, persevering person, an example and ambassador of our popular culture and our national identity.”
“With this distinction, we want to highlight the significance and influence of someone who, through sport and beyond it, has achieved the most outstanding accomplishments and has become an example of excellence,” he added.
🚨❤️ FULL STATEMENT:
"In the resolution, which was proposed and unanimously approved by the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) Superior Council, it states that Messi’s “career represents an example of excellence, perseverance, humility and ethical conduct in his profession, as… pic.twitter.com/q6eqMgCxhB
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) September 30, 2026
A Tribute Beyond Football
The university noted that the distinction fits within a long-standing international tradition among prestigious academic institutions of honoring individuals who, through sport, have achieved outstanding accomplishments and become influential examples of excellence and values within their fields.
“Leo Messi knew how to convey the values of the Argentine jersey and represent it with courage and respect, carrying it to the very top of world football. But this Honorary Doctorate is a recognition that goes beyond his football career. It is a tribute and an expression of gratitude that we offer from UBA, on behalf of all of Argentine society,” said the University’s Vice Rector Emiliano Yacobitti.
The honorary doctorate will be awarded just before Messi’s farewell match with the senior national team, set to be played against Benin at Buenos Aires’ iconic Monumental Stadium. The match is expected to draw significant attention both domestically and internationally, marking a symbolic closing chapter to Messi’s tenure with the Argentine national team, during which he led the country to its long-awaited third World Cup title in 2022, cementing his status as one of the most decorated and celebrated figures in the sport’s history.
The recognition from Buenos Aires University (UBA), one of Latin America’s most prestigious universities, adds an academic dimension to a legacy already defined by football’s highest individual and collective honors, reflecting the broader cultural significance Messi has come to hold within Argentine society well beyond the sport itself.
I’m not ready for 6th October. pic.twitter.com/jpg7KjFtDg
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) September 30, 2026
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Fuck Messi and his rascist shit bag team.