Surprises never end when it comes to the Fair Play Menarini International Award: Luís Figo, European football legend and true icon of sporting integrity, will be among the awardees of the 29th edition of the event, taking place on July 2nd and 3rd in Florence and Fiesole. With his charisma, and a career marked by international successes and unwavering respect for the rules, the Portuguese sports star fully embodies the founding values of the Award.

A former mainstay for the Sporting Lisbon team and a key figure at FC Barcelona, Figo was awarded the Ballon d’Or in the year 2000 following his transfer to Real Madrid. During his time with the “blancos”, he won two La Liga titles, a UEFA Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup, and an Intercontinental Cup. In 2005, he moved to Inter Milan, where he contributed to four consecutive Serie A titles (from 2006 to 2009), one Coppa Italia, and two Italian Super Cups. With 127 games played for the Portuguese national team, he became a symbol of football distinguished by its class, leadership, and respect.

Luis Figo, photo by Alain de Martignac via Getty Images

Figo will be joined on stage by other undisputed champions of Italian and international sport: Alessandro Costacurta, paragon of fair play in football with both AC Milan and the national team; Gianmarco Tamberi, Olympic and world high jump champion; Sasha Vujacic, two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers; Demetrio Albertini, a leading figure in 1990s Italian football; Andy Diaz, indoor world champion in the triple jump; Alice Bellandi, recent judo world champion; Nadia Battocletti, Olympic silver medallist in the 10.000 metres; Rigivan Ganeshamoorthy, Paralympic gold medallist in discus throw; Blanka Vlasic, high jump legend; Arianna Errigo, one of the most decorated foil fencers of all time; and Guido Meda, the legendary voice of MotoGP.

“With Luís Figo, we welcome yet another extraordinary champion to an edition of the Fair Play Menarini Award that brings together some of the finest examples of sporting excellence from around the world – said Valeria Speroni Cardi and Filippo Paganelli, Board Members of the Fair Play Menarini Foundation – Figo  is a world-class player who has stood out on some of the most prestigious international stages thanks to his talent, elegance on the field, and his deep respect for the rules of the game. Just like the other awardees of this year’s edition, he perfectly embodies the values that our Award has been showcasing for nearly thirty years”.

The 29th edition of the Fair Play Menarini International Award is supported by the Istituto per il Credito Sportivo e Culturale as Institutional Partner, and by Sustenium, Frecciarossa, Estra, and Adiacent as initiative partners.

To keep up to date on the protagonists, relive the most exciting moments, and find out all the latest news, visit the official website https://www.fairplaymenarini.com/en and the Award’s social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.