Lionel Messi is set to add an unusual honour to his extraordinary football career after the University of Buenos Aires announced that it will award him an honorary doctorate for his sporting achievements and contribution to Argentina.
The University of Buenos Aires, one of Argentina’s most prominent academic institutions, approved the distinction unanimously through its Higher Council. Messi will receive the honour on Tuesday, October 6, shortly before his scheduled farewell appearance for the Argentine national team against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
The timing gives the recognition an added significance. Messi’s doctorate will come as Argentina prepares to say goodbye to the captain who has represented the country for more than two decades.
The university described the honorary degree as its highest distinction and said Messi’s career represents excellence, perseverance, humility and ethical conduct. It also highlighted his commitment to representing Argentina throughout his international career.
For the university, however, the decision is not simply about the number of goals Messi has scored or the trophies he has collected.
UBA Rector Ricardo Gelpi said the institution wanted to recognise Messi beyond the statistics associated with his football career. He described the Argentine as an ambassador of the country’s popular culture and national identity, while highlighting his perseverance and humility.
The university’s decision comes after an international career that has produced some of the most important achievements in Argentine football history.
As captain, Messi led Argentina to the 2021 Copa América title, ending a 28-year wait for a major senior international trophy. He subsequently helped the team win the 2022 Finalissima against Italy before finally achieving the biggest prize in international football at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Argentina also won the 2024 Copa América, giving Messi another major international title during the latter stages of his career.
His international journey has not been defined only by victories. Before finally lifting a major trophy with Argentina, Messi experienced painful defeats, including the 2014 World Cup final loss to Germany and the 2015 and 2016 Copa América final defeats.
Those setbacks became an important part of the story of his eventual success with the national team.
The University of Buenos Aires also recognised Argentina’s run to the 2026 World Cup final, where the national team finished as runners-up. According to the university, that achievement formed part of a remarkable period in which Argentina’s senior team won four major international titles during Messi’s era.
The honorary doctorate will therefore arrive at the end of an extraordinary chapter in his relationship with the national team.
Messi’s farewell match against Benin is scheduled for October 6 at the Monumental, bringing an emotional conclusion to his Argentina career. The 39-year-old is Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player, while also holding the country’s assist record.
The farewell fixture is expected to carry considerable emotional weight because of what Messi has represented to Argentine football. From his early international struggles to becoming the captain who finally delivered the World Cup, his journey with the national team has mirrored the expectations, frustrations and celebrations of an entire footballing nation.
UBA’s recognition also reflects how Messi’s influence has moved beyond football.
The university said the distinction follows a wider international tradition in which leading academic institutions honour sporting figures whose achievements and influence extend beyond their discipline.
Emiliano Yacobitti, the university’s vice-rector, said Messi had conveyed the values associated with the Argentina shirt and represented the country with courage and respect. He described the doctorate as a tribute and expression of gratitude from the university and Argentine society.
The recognition is particularly notable because an honorary doctorate does not represent an academic qualification earned through conventional university study. Rather, it is an honorary distinction bestowed on an individual in recognition of significant achievements or contributions.
For Messi, it will become another unique entry in a career already filled with records, trophies and individual awards.
The ceremony will also provide a fitting prelude to what could be one of the most emotional nights of his international career. Before stepping onto the Monumental pitch for the final time with Argentina, Messi will first receive an honour from one of the country’s most respected universities.
From football’s biggest stadiums to one of Argentina’s most prestigious academic institutions, Messi’s influence continues to extend far beyond the game.
And as Argentina prepares to bid farewell to its captain, the University of Buenos Aires has ensured that his contribution to the country will be remembered in a very different kind of record book.
