Bukayo Saka has been presented with the Sócrates Award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony, according to Arsenal.com, which reported the news on Monday. The honour recognises the Arsenal winger for his humanitarian efforts away from the pitch. The club said the award is given to the footballer judged to have done the most notable charitable work anywhere in the world.
Why it matters
The Sócrates Award is a relatively young addition to the Ballon d'Or programme, first handed out in 2022, when Sadio Mané received it. It takes its name from Sócrates, the Brazilian midfielder remembered as much for his social and political engagement as for his play. By attaching the prize to football's most glamorous individual awards night, organisers have given humanitarian work a prominent stage alongside on-field achievement.
For Saka, the recognition shifts attention to work that has largely stayed outside matchday coverage. According to Arsenal.com, he and his family have partnered with several charities, including sustained projects with Big Shoe, which delivers medical care and humanitarian assistance to children and families in need in London and elsewhere in the world.
Emergency shelter and surgery funded through family charity work
Arsenal.com reports that the initiatives backed by Saka and his family have paid for emergency housing and shelters for families left without homes after the earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco. The same work has supported more than 100 children in Nigeria and across Africa, funding surgeries that the club says would otherwise have been beyond their reach.
The details published by Arsenal.com frame the award as a family effort rather than a solo one, with Saka's relatives described as active participants in the charitable partnerships. The club did not disclose financial figures or the names of individual donors in its report.
Arsenal congratulated Saka on the achievement in its statement, describing it as incredible. The club's message was brief and did not include further comment from the player.
Saka, a graduate of Arsenal's academy, has become one of the club's most prominent players and a regular for England. The Sócrates Award adds a non-sporting distinction to a career already marked by team and individual honours, though Arsenal.com's report focused on the charitable record rather than his playing achievements.
The ceremony itself brought together players from across the men's and women's game for the annual Ballon d'Or presentations. Saka's award was one of several handed out during the evening.
What to watch next: whether Saka or Arsenal offer further detail on the projects recognised, and how the Sócrates Award's growing profile shapes the way clubs present players' charitable work in future.
