MARCA’s CEO, Juan Ignacio Gallardo, awarded Messi as the soccer player with more titles in history. At the Chase Stadium, he bowed to an unrepeatable player, that achieved 102 trophies in his career: 46 with his teams and 56 individually. Now, with the MARCA Award, they are 103.
Juan Ignacio Gallardo’s whole speech dedicated to Messi
“In my eight years as MARCA’s CEO I have had the honor to give multiple awards to Leo Messi.
Awards like LaLiga’s Top Scorer or the Golden Boot, which he won with his huge and incomparable talent on the field, with his incredible ability to take on rivals and his amazing and undescribable capacity to put the football just where the goalkeeper could not reach.
It always made me happy to give them to him, and I always had the conviction that it wasn’t his last award, that Messi was going to be the next top scorer of Europe or LaLiga and I would be here once again handing him another award. That was something that kept on repeating again and again.
This time is different. It makes me happy meeting you again. But this time I know I will not give this award of the player with the most titles in the history of the game again, not to another player.
Why? Because of the simple reason that no one will surpass you, Leo. It is absolutely impossible.
Mankind has been looking to overcome himself all existence, but there are limits like this one, that I feel unbeatable.
No one of the present today will see another football player who can accumulate more trophies than you. You are unreachable.
You are unreachable running on the field, taking on rivals, and you are with this truly amazing trophy record
02 titles, both collective and individual. A brutal and impossible-to-beat record.
That’s why today we present you with this distinction (which will be your 103rd trophy), knowing already that there will be no one else like you. But we’re also aware that it’s possible you might open your overflowing trophy case once again to add more cups.
That wouldn’t change anything, it would only enhance the prestige and significance of this award.
Leo, you represent the pinnacle of excellence in sports. You embody the skills and determination necessary to succeed. You are an absolute ‘champion of champions.’ You are the perfect definition of this term.
MARCA has already presented several awards in this country. For example, the MARCA Legend (a famous trophy that you also own) to Muhammad Ali and Simone Biles. And now, this award is to a ‘champion of champions’ like Messi.
But we will continue. Because MARCA’s commitment and our project here in the United States are strong and determined.
As you know, MARCA is the absolute leader in Spain, in Mexico…
We are, in fact, the second most visited sports news website in the world.
But we are known for being very ambitious. We think big, and we want to grow even more. The infinite, that indescribable place where footballers like Messi now reside for eternity, is also our goal.
I count on everyone here, representatives from various sectors of American business and society, to join us on this fascinating journey. Together, we will be much stronger.
There is a horizon full of immense possibilities ahead, and we would love to discover it alongside all of you. We want to be the leading sports media outlet in the United States, and we will achieve this with your help.
To keep this brief, let me return to today’s main star.
Leo, we are going to present you with two works of art, created by Spanish painter Jos Mara Pea and Argentine sculptor Carlos Benavidez.
And it seems very fitting that artistic materials take the stage today, because football is an art, and you are an artist.
How much grace you pour onto the pitch!
How much harmony in every pass!
What perfect aesthetics when you take a free kick!
How much beauty in each of your goals!
How much musicality explodes in the celebrations!
How much magnificent literature celebrates your triumphs!
Football should be considered one of the Fine Arts, in part thanks to masters like you.
Because art is inspiring, and so are you. You are an inspiration to your teammates, even to your rivals. Also to the coaches, to the young players who look up to you in awe, to the veterans who watch you with fascination, and to all the fans…
You are a role model to follow.
I’ll finish now, thanking you for accepting this recognition, which we present to you with our utmost admiration, on behalf of the hundred million internet users who, each month, turn to MARCA for all the latest sports news and whom you bring so much joy.
Congratulations, Messi, and I hope your personal trophy cabinet opens many more times.”
