RismadarVoice Reporters
October 2, 2026
Argentina captain Lionel Messi is set to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), adding an academic distinction to his celebrated football career.
The university’s governing body unanimously approved the conferment of its Doctor Honoris Causa, its highest honorary distinction, on Messi in recognition of his achievements in football and his broader cultural and social influence in Argentina.
The award ceremony is scheduled for October 6, with the university highlighting Messi’s perseverance, humility and role as an ambassador of Argentine culture and national identity.
UBA said the recognition extends beyond Messi’s individual statistics and trophies to his contribution to some of Argentina’s most significant international football successes.
Messi captained Argentina to the 2021 Copa América title and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while also helping the national team win the 2022 Finalissima and retain the Copa América in 2024.
UBA Rector Ricardo Gelpi said the institution wanted to recognise both Messi’s sporting accomplishments and the personal qualities he has demonstrated throughout his career.
“Beyond what all Argentinians know about Messi,” Gelpi said, the university also wanted to recognise his humility, perseverance and influence on Argentina’s popular culture and national identity.
Vice-Rector Emiliano Yacobitti also praised Messi’s contribution to the national team and his role in Argentina’s recent international successes.
The Doctor Honoris Causa is awarded by the university to individuals whose achievements and contributions have had significance beyond their immediate professional fields.
The honour comes as Messi, now 39, approaches the closing stages of an international career spanning more than two decades.
Reports have also linked the October period with tributes surrounding Messi and a possible farewell appearance for Argentina, although the details of any final national-team match would depend on official confirmation.
Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005 and has since become one of the most prominent figures in the country’s sporting history.
