LONDON —Bukayo Saka used his acceptance speech for the 2026 Socrates Award to read aloud a letter from a 14-year-old boy in Rwanda whose life was transformed by the Arsenal and England winger’s charity work. The award, named after the late Brazilian footballer Socrates, recognises humanitarian and social action by a footballer and was presented at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday night.
Rather than dwell on his own achievements, Saka shared the story of Byiringiro, a teenager from a village in Rwanda who began losing his sight at the age of 12. In the letter, Biringiro described how his deteriorating vision made everyday life increasingly difficult in a community without electricity. He struggled to read the blackboard at school and to play freely with his friends.
“Then, thanks to Big Shoe, I received the eye care that I needed,” Saka read from the boy’s letter. “Today, I can read the blackboard even from the back of the classroom”.
The letter added: “I can enjoy being a child again. For the first time in a long time, I’m excited about my future. I want to become an English teacher one day”. Saka also read that the boy no longer worried about “feeling different” and now believed he could achieve his childhood dream, just like the footballers in the room.
The charity at the centre of the story, BigShoe, has been a long-term partner of Saka’s humanitarian work. The 25-year-old has helped fund 120 life-changing medical operations for children in Kano, Nigeria, and has supported families affected by earthquakes in Morocco and Turkey. Saka said the cause was deeply personal.
“We know how it feels to be a child and having a ball at your feet and how much joy you have,” he said. “Every time I have the opportunity to help another kid have that feeling again, that’s important to me”. He added: “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”.
The Socrates Award was first handed out in 2022, with Sadio Mané its inaugural recipient, followed by Vinícius Júnior, Jenni Hermoso and Luis Enrique’s Xana Foundation. Saka received the prize from Nigerian artist Burna Boy at a ceremony held in London for the first time in the award’s 70-year history.
By reading Biringiro’s words rather than giving a conventional victory speech, Saka ensured the night’s focus stayed on the children BigShoe has reached — and on one boy in Rwanda who can now see the blackboard, and his future, more clearly.
