Bukayo Saka Wins Socrates Award for Sponsoring Children’s Surgeries in Nigeria

Nigerian singer Burna Boy presents the Socrates Trophy for most involved player in societal and charitable projects to English fooballer Bukayo Saka during the 2026 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Palladium Theatre in London on October 26, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Bukayo Saka has been named the winner of the Socrates Award at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

The English footballer of Nigerian heritage won the prize, which rewards players for their charity work outside the sport.

Saka was presented with the award by Burna Boy at the gala on Monday at the Palladium Theatre in London, UK.

The Arsenal winger won for his partnership with Big Shoe, a charity organisation, which funded surgeries for children in Nigeria and other African countries.

In 2022, Saka collaborated with Big Shoe and sponsored “ life-changing surgeries ” for 120 children in Kano.

A year later, the 25-year-old also donated for surgeries for another 100 children in Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

At the podium after winning the prize, Saka read a letter from a beneficiary of the charity initiative who had undergone successful eye surgery.

The Arsenal winger added that he hopes the project will continue to help underprivileged children from developing countries.

“I work a lot with my family and the charity called BigShoe. We try to do our best to help children who don’t have the same opportunities or capabilities we have,” he said.