Lionel Messi was greeted to heroic welcome as he returned to his boyhood club for the first time in 14 years.
The footie icon celebrated his 36th birthday in Rosario, his home town among a teeming swarm of supporters at the Newell’s Old Boys Stadium.
In less than 12 months, Lionel Messi has hit his home country twice to a heroic welcome after reaching the peak of his career in football.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar with his man of the match performance.
The Barcelona legend hit a brace to give Argentina the lead twice in a heated clash against France at the Lusail Stadium. After a dragging contest, the match ended in a six-goal thriller draw with the tie separated on penalties.
Messi converted his spotkick to help Argentina win their third World Cup trophy and the first since 1986.
It was a Lionel Messi show at the Lusail Stadium as the Barcelona legend stole the spotlights and capped his legendary 19-year career with the most coveted football trophy that has eluded his grasp.
After the landmark achievement, Lionel Messi hit the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, to a horde of Argentina supporters lining up to receive the players.
The World Cup victory parade took place at Bueno Aires but Lionel Messi’s football journey started at Newell’s in Rosario, where he was born.
Most pundits believe Messi would have concluded his iconic World Cup triumph celebrations with a trip to Newell’s where it all started. Now, it appears Messi had a different plan and has executed it.
In a viral social media footage, Lionel Messi has chosen to celebrate his 36th birthday at Newell’s stadium where it all started with thousands of fans lining up to give him a heroic welcome.
In a well planned series of events, Lionel Messi hit the Coloso Del Parque Marcelo Bielsa stadium facing his boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys in an exhibition match with his World Cup winning side led by Lionel Scaloni.
The match which was organized in honor of Argentina football legend Maxi Rodriquez coincided with Lionel Messi’s 36th birthday on June 24, 2023.
Lionel Messi starred in the game as he scored a hat-trick to drive home his birthday celebrations and mark his return to Newell’s Old Boys after 14 years. Before his sterling outing for the Albiceleste against his boyhood club, Lionel Messi was greeted with a heroic welcome by over 40,00 fans at the Newell’s Old Boys Stadium.
Before going on to dominate the world, Lionel Messi started his football career at Newell’s Old Boys, playing for the club’s youth team.
He left the club in 2000 as a young teenager at the age of 13 to join Barcelona where he would subsequently emerge as a generational talent, winning all possible trophies in club and international football.
Messi made his senior team debut for Barca in 2005 and went on to play a total of 778 games, scoring 672 goals to emerge as the club’s all-time highest goal-scorer. He joined PSG in 2021 and has left the club for a move to MLS side Inter Miami – a switch deemed as the last lap of his career.
