(MENAFN) The Argentine Football Federation (AFA) has renamed its training facility after superstar Lionel Messi. The Sports Housing Complex in Ezeiza will now be known as "Lionel Andrés Messi," according to AFA's announcement on Saturday. The president of AFA, Claudio Tapia, made the announcement during an event and said that the new name is a recognition of Messi's contributions to the team.
Messi, who recently led the national football team to their third World Cup title at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, expressed his gratitude for the recognition in a speech following Tapia's announcement. He said, "Thank you all very much for being here. I am grateful to 'Chiqui' (Tapia) for this recognition, it is very important to me. I have been coming to this property for 20 years and since I entered, I felt a very special energy. Until today, every, every time I enter, I feel a very particular energy in this property."
The new recognition, according to AFA, is a way of immortalizing Messi's figure based on his goals, dribbling, assists, and emotions. The statement added that Messi's name is now carved on the foundation stone of the new building that stands next to the entrance of the recognized first-level property.
Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, having won numerous individual awards and helped Barcelona win multiple league titles and Champions League trophies. His contributions to the Argentine national team have also been immense, and the renaming of the training facility after him is a fitting tribute to his achievements in the sport.
The renaming of the Sports Housing Complex in Ezeiza demonstrates the tremendous impact that Messi has had on Argentine football and his country as a whole. The new name will serve as a reminder of his contributions and inspire future generations of footballers to aim for greatness.
MENAFN26032023000045012476ID1105863000
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.