Burna Boy Presents Socrates Award to Bukayo Saka at 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Nigerian Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy presented the 2026 Socrates Award to Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka at the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday, October 26.

Burna Boy became the first Nigerian artiste to present an award at the prestigious ceremony, bringing together two prominent figures of Nigerian heritage from the music and football industries. The event was held at the London Palladium.

Before presenting the award, the singer spoke about his football academy in Nigeria, explaining that he established the initiative to support the development of the sport in his home country.

“Something I started a few years ago, just to support the football culture back home. Hopefully, inshallah, one day I’ll come back here to see one of my people getting an award in Ballon d’Or,” Burna Boy said.

Saka received the Socrates Award in recognition of his humanitarian work, particularly his partnership with BigShoe, an organisation that provides medical assistance to children in need.
Through the initiative, the Arsenal forward supported surgeries for 120 children in Kano, Nigeria, in 2022. He also contributed to medical procedures for children in other African countries, helping young beneficiaries access treatment that might otherwise have been unavailable to them.

The Socrates Award was established in 2022 by France Football in collaboration with Peace and Sport. Named after the late Brazilian footballer Sócrates, the honour recognises footballers who use their influence and resources to support humanitarian causes and promote social development beyond the pitch.
Burna Boy’s appearance added a Nigerian touch to this year’s ceremony, while his remarks highlighted his ambition to contribute to football development at home. His hope, he said, is to return to the Ballon d’Or stage one day to see a footballer nurtured through his academy receive the prestigious honour.