Newell’s Old Boys Honours Lionel Messi With Dedicated Stadium Stand
- The legendary figure returns to his roots in an unexpected way, as his boyhood club unveils something monumental in his honour
- For the first time, Lionel Messi and another great name in football history are permanently connected at the same historic location
- The video of the unveiling of the Messi monument has since gone viral
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Newell's Old Boys has inaugurated a stand dedicated to Lionel Messi at their Estadio Marcelo Bielsa in a heartfelt tribute to one of their most illustrious former players.
This gesture comes as a celebration of Messi's remarkable career and coincides with the Argentine star turning 38.
Source: Getty Images
The new stand cements his legacy at the club where his football journey first began before La Pulga dazzled at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami.
Messi's journey began at Newell's Old Boys
Long before Lionel Messi became a global superstar, he honed his skills as a youngster in the academy of Newell's Old Boys.
Source: Twitter
The Rosario-based club was the first to recognise Messi’s extraordinary talent. At the age of 13, he made the life-changing move to Spain to join Barcelona, where he racked up 672 goals in 778 appearances, according to Wikipedia.
Despite spending the bulk of his career in Europe and now the United States, Messi has always maintained a deep connection to his hometown and his boyhood club.
Messi following in Maradona’s footsteps
Newell's Old Boys have a tradition of commemorating legends who have graced their club.
One of the stands at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa already bears the name "Pelusa," the affectionate nickname for Diego Maradona, who had a brief but memorable stint at the club in the 1990s.
By unveiling the "Lionel Messi" stand, Newell's has now brought together the names of Argentina’s two greatest football icons under one roof.
The Lionel Messi stand at Estadio Marcelo Bielsa
The club shared a video, as covered by GOAL, on their social media channels showcasing the newly named stand.
The caption accompanying the video reads:
"The Colossus adds a new chapter. For the first time, two football legends share the same home: ours."
The announcement has been met with widespread applause from supporters.
The extraordinary move strengthens the club's identity through its connections to iconic players such as Messi and Maradona, as well as the esteemed coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Lionel Messi 2024/25 stats at Inter Miami
The football superstar has scored 16 goals and provided 6 assists in 23 matches across all competitions, according to Transfermarkt. This includes a superb free-kick effort against FC Porto in the Club World Cup.
Messi's second-half masterclass helped Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory against FC Porto before the MLS side drew 2-2 against Palmeiras to qualify for the Round of 16, where they take on Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi opens up about his niggling injuries
YEN.com.gh earlier reported on the recurring injuries of Lionel Messi following Inter Miami's CWC win against FC Porto on June 19.
The iconic playmaker broke his silence on the persistent fitness issues, revealing that he had been playing through pain in recent weeks.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
