Lionel Messi is mobbed by a large crowd of fans outside a restaurant in Argentina, and the national hero is seen smiling as he makes his way through the supporters with the help of security guards in a quick getaway.
- The Messi family dined at Don Julio in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires
- Due to his status as a national hero, Messi is regularly mugged by his fans.
- The PSG midfielder is in Argentina for the friendlies against Panama and Curaçao
World Cup winner Lionel Messi was mobbed by fans in his native Argentina while having dinner with his family.
The 35-year-old was already a national hero before leading Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar in December, and it was almost inevitable that huge crowds of fans would turn out to see the star.
Messi, his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children were having dinner at Don Julio, a restaurant in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, but were unable to finish their meal in peace after news spread that Messi was in the area.
Messi and his family were escorted out of the restaurant by local police officers amid a throng of fans, but the PSG star appeared in high spirits, much to the delight of his supporters.
One fan, who caught Messi’s exit on video, tweeted in Spanish: ‘Messi en Don Julio. Any Monday night in Palermo.
Lionel Messi’s appearance at Palermo’s Don Julio restaurant shut down the surrounding streets as fans tried to catch a glimpse of their national hero.
Number 10 was all smiles as he was escorted through the group of adoring fans.
‘Thank you for looking at me 10, I can die in peace.’
As the Messi family dined, a sea of people beyond Don Julio’s windows surged forward to try to take pictures of the icon.
Previously, the player drew huge crowds in his hometown of Rosario, 180 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, after the World Cup final, with fans flooding his car as he sought to attend his niece’s birthday party.
Messi was forced to evacuate the team’s winners’ parade in Buenos Aires due to security concerns.
The PSG striker is back in his country of origin for the international break after being called up in the Argentina squad that will face Panama and Curaçao in the next friendlies.
But before joining the Argentina camp, Messi found time to enjoy a meal at the 13th-ranked steakhouse in The 50 best restaurants in the world list.
His return comes a few weeks later. his in-laws’ supermarket in Rosario was attacked
Fourteen shots were reportedly fired in the supermarket, with the perpetrators said to have left a chilling threat directed at the Barcelona fan, in the form of a message reading: ‘Messi, Javkin is not going to take care of you’.
La Albiceleste, led by the PSG player, won their third World Cup after 36 years of waiting
In February, Messi was awarded FIFA’s The Best trophy for the best male player for the second time.
But the future of the former Barcelona player next season is up in the air
Pablo Javkin is the current mayor of Rosario.
The international break has allowed rumors to be stirred more aggressively around Messi’s continued involvement with PSG, the current club.
Reports at the weekend, when Messi featured in PSG’s 2-0 home loss to Rennes, suggested that the PSG hierarchy was hesitant to extend the player’s contract at the end of the season.
Should the club and player make a decision to leave the Parisian outfit, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, David Beckham-owned MLS side Inter Miami and former paymaster Barcelona are said to be interested in joining. the Argentine midfielder.