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#3 Lionel Messi pleasantly surprised a journalist during the 2018 FIFA World Cup
After Argentina's 2-1 triumph over Nigeria in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Lionel Messi surprised a journalist with a heartwarming gesture.
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The journalist, Rama Pantorotto of Telefenoticias, had given Messi a lucky string ahead of the game, but thought the attacker would've thrown it away. He asked Messi about it after the final whistle, and was more than impressed with what he saw.
"In the first match I gave you the good luck charm that my mother gave me, I'm not sure if you kept it or threw it away," Rama Pantorotto asked Lionel Messi.
"Look," the Argentina captain responded as he dug into his sock to reveal a red string tied around his ankle.
Pantorotto was surprised, all he could say was "I'm sorry?"
"For real," Messi replied.
"For real? You put it on your leg?"
"I wanted to say 'thank you'," Messi said before walking away.
#2 Lionel Messi swapped his shirt with Elche goalkeeper
As he is one of the greatest superstars in football history, Lionel Messi always gets requests from players asking for his shirt. Elche goalkeeper Edgar Badia did the same when his side clashed with Barcelona in the La Liga in February this year.
Messi had a decent performance, bagging a brace in the game. After the final whistle, Badia approached Lionel Messi to get his jersey, which the player was all too happy to part with. To the surprise of the Elche goalkeeper, the Argentine asked for Badia's shirt in return. The gesture caught the eye of fans, with many praising Messi for his humility.
#1 Lionel Messi donated funds to Barcelona hospital to tackle COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked widespread havoc last year. During the peak of the pandemic, Lionel Messi made a heartwarming gesture that earned him praise from many.
The Argentine donated €1 million to a hospital in Barcelona to fight the deadly virus. The fund was provided to support research to combat the disease as well as take care of infected people.
That wasn't the only donation Lionel Messi made during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also made several contributions in his native Argentina, including €500,000 to a Buenos Aires-based foundation, Casa Garrahan, for the purchase og respirators, infusion pumps and computers.
