On Monday night 26th October 2026 in London, Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka walked away with the Sócrates Trophy at the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards.
Created to honour Brazilian legend Sócrates, the trophy celebrates footballers who go beyond the game to support humanity. Saka follows in the footsteps of Sadio Mané, Vinícius Jr, Jenni Hermoso and the Xana Foundation as the fifth person to claim it.
Judges highlighted his ongoing partnership with BigShoe, an initiative he backs with his family. Working through the charity, Saka has covered the cost of 120 critical surgeries for young patients in Kano, Nigeria, funded medical examinations for over 580 children in Rwanda plus health insurance for another 1,000 people, and assisted in building temporary shelters for families affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco.
The most powerful part of his night came when he read out a note from 14-year-old Biringiro from Rwanda, whose eyesight was saved because of BigShoe.
“When I was 12, I started losing my sight. My village has no electricity, and as my eyesight got worse, even moving around my home became difficult… I couldn’t read what my teachers wrote on the blackboard,” Biringiro wrote.
“Then thanks to Big Shoe, I received the eye care that I needed. Today, I can read the blackboard even from the back of the classroom. I can enjoy being a child again.”
He then closed with his own words:
“We know how it feels to be a child and having a ball at your feet and how much joy you have. Every time I have the opportunity to help another kid have that feeling again, that’s important to me.
It’s an honour to be here, and it’s an honour to receive this award. On behalf of all the children we’ve been able to help, thank you.”
