Messi Receives Honorary Doctorate

The University of Buenos Aires announced yesterday that it will award Argentine football legend Lionel Messi an honorary doctorate, its highest honor, in recognition of his sporting career and his role in representing Argentina. Messi is scheduled to receive the degree on Tuesday, October 6, ahead of his farewell match for the Argentine national team against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. The university’s highest council unanimously approved conferring this honor on Messi, praising the career of the World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, describing it as “a model of excellence, perseverance, humility, and ethical conduct.” Messi led his national team to victory in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He also won the Copa América twice with Argentina, in 2021 and 2024, in addition to the Olympic gold medal in 2008, and reached two other World Cup finals, in 2014 and this year.