Argentina immortalise Messi in grand style

Lionel Messi continues to receive plaudits and acclaim for his and Argentina's World Cup triumph, and in honouring those achievements, the Argentine Football Association, AFA, have made a move to immortalise the 35-year-old by naming a new housing complex after him. 

In a ceremony today, the AFA president, Chiqui Tapia, announced that the new housing complex at Ezeiza—where the Argentina National Team camp—will be named Lionel Andres Messi. 

It was a day in which the Argentine football governing body launched a home for the national team that includes three hotel floors, a new training ground, a high-performance centre, amenities, meeting rooms, a recovery room and an auditorium. The housing complex part of the project will be named after Messi. 

The honour comes after Messi's exceptional campaign helped them to their third World Cup title, a victory that culminates in a run that saw them win the Copa America and the Copa Finalissima.

“Today is a very special day for our football and for our home,” Tiqui said.

“ We thank those who are present, the leaders and our league captains.

“In 2017, we had to start to rebuild our football and within that was the building. It will become the new home of the national teams, with three floors of hotels, a training and high performance center, amenities, meeting rooms, recovery rooms and an auditorium.

“It’s not only the inauguration of this project but also the housing complex of Ezeiza which will bear the name of Lionel Andrés Messi.”

It was a special occasion, on which the AFA invited all the presidents and captains of the 28 Argentina Primera Division clubs to honour Messi. 

His former teammates Mariano Andujar, Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo, Javier Mascherano and Maxi Rodriguez were also in attendance. 

Messi was elated following the announcement, explaining what it meant to him.

He explained that he appreciated that the tribute was done while he was alive to see it, as he is of the school of thought that it carries more weight than when it is done posthumously.

“I want to thank (AFA president) Tapia for the recognition, which is very exciting,” Messi started.

“I have been coming to the camp for almost 20 years and from the first day I entered I felt a very special energy.

“Knowing that the housing complex is going to be called Lionel Andrés Messi is something very nice. It’s special because of what it means and because of the number of players who pass by.

“I went through hard times, it was getting here and feeling happy to be in this place. I am one of those who thinks that tributes have to be done while alive and this recognition is special and means a lot.”

As we reported in detail here, Messi was once again on target for Argentina in their return to action following the triumph in Qatar 2023.

He scored from a free-kick, and it was a milestone strike, his 800th career goal.