This is the country's highest civilian honour and Messi, who plays for Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, will be getting it along with National Basketball Association (NBA) league legend Magic Johnson and 17 other recipients.
Argentina and Inter Mimai's talismanic forward Lionel Messi was named the 2024 Landon Donovan Major League Soccer (MLS) Most Valuable Player on Friday.
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced a list of nominees for the Best FIFA Football Awards 2024 on Sunday where the notable names were Argentina skipper Lionel Messi in the Men's category and Spanish footballer Aitana Bonmati in the Women's category.
Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, last played in India back in 2011 when Argentina locked horns with Venezuela in an international friendly match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata which ended in a goalless draw.
During the game, Messi struck in 19th, 84th and 86th minute, delivering three fantastic goals in only his second international appearance after an injury faced during July's Copa America tournament.
Lionel Messi has expressed his heartfelt appreciation for former Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta, who recently announced his retirement from professional football.
Former AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli gave his take on the Greatest of All Time "Goat" debate between Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina's sensation Lionel Messi.
Manchester City legendary player Shaun Wright-Phillips offered invaluable insights into the City squad, praising individual players like Erling Haaland, as well as sharing his thoughts on the team's continued dominance in English football.
Former star midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme does not doubt that Lionel Messi will lead Argentina in the 2026 World Cup as he continues to "reinvent himself" at Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
This will be the first time in over two decades that football greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will not feature in the Ballon d'Or nominations.