Burna Boy Awards Bukayo Saka for Humanitarian Efforts
At the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Nigerian singer Burna Boy presented the 2026 Socrates Award to Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka. Burna Boy spoke about his football academy in Nigeria, which he initiated to support football development.
He expressed hope that one day he would see someone from his academy receiving a Ballon d’Or award. The Socrates Award, established in 2022 by France Football in collaboration with Peace and Sport, honors footballers who leverage their influence for humanitarian causes.
Bukayo Saka received the award for his charitable contributions through BigShoe, an organization that aids children in need by providing medical assistance, including surgeries to restore sight. Previous recipients of the award include Sadio Mané, Vinícius Júnior, and Jenni Hermoso.
In 2025, the award was given to the Xana Foundation, founded by Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique in memory of his daughter.
Plus234Feed summary based on reporting from Punch Newspapers. Read the original report below.
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