Bukayo Saka Wins Socrates Award at Ballon d’Or in London

Bukayo Saka collected the Socrates Award on Monday night in London, which hosted the ceremony for the first time in the award’s 70-year history.

The Socrates Award, named after the late Brazil captain and political activist, was introduced in 2022 to honour players for their social and humanitarian work, with Sadio Mané, Vinícius Júnior and Jenni Hermoso among previous winners.

Saka was handed the award by Nigerian superstar Burna Boy, who opened the envelope with a simple, ‘Just as I guessed.’

The 25-year-old has worked closely with the BigShoe charity for several years, most notably funding surgeries for 120 children in Nigeria in 2022. Rather than focusing on himself, Saka used his acceptance speech to share the words of a 14-year-old boy from Rwanda, whose life had been transformed by the charity.

‘I would like to thank France Football for the opportunity to be here tonight, to keep raising awareness of these causes that are very close to my heart,’ Saka said. ‘I would love to share with you a story from the Big Shoe charity that has helped change a kid’s life, in his own words.’

Reading the letter aloud, Saka explained how the boy had begun losing his sight at the age of 12, in a village with no electricity, leaving him unable to read the blackboard at school or play freely with his friends. After receiving eye care through BigShoe, he can now see clearly from the back of the classroom.

‘More importantly, I no longer need to worry about feeling different. I can enjoy being a child again,’ the letter read. ‘For the first time in a long time, I am excited about my future. I want to become an English teacher one day. I know many of you here tonight have achieved your childhood dreams and now I believe I can achieve mine too.’

Saka then added, ‘From me, it is an honour to be here and it is an honour to receive this award. On behalf of all the children we have been able to help, thank you.’

The England international also spoke about why the cause means so much to him and his family.

‘I think all of us here know how it feels to be a child and having a ball at your feet, how much joy you have,’ he said. ‘To help another kid have that feeling again, that is important to me. We are all just really blessed.

‘I work a lot with my family and the charity called BigShoe. We try to do our best in helping children who don’t have the same opportunities and capabilities that all of us have, whether through surgeries, feeding them, whatever it may be.’

Saka’s presence was also a welcome sight for supporters, coming just days after he was forced off early against Bayern Munich with a leg injury.