Lionel Messi is a name that even those who remotely follow sports would have heard. Chances are that he may easily be one of the most recognizable faces in the world, given the vast popularity of the sport that he plays and the dominance he has enjoyed in that for over a decade.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is regarded as one of the finest players ever to have played tha game and his popularity seems to have gone a notch higher ever-since he led Argentina to the FIFA World Cup victory in Qatar. A testimony of the same was the viral videos that have surfaced on social media.
Argentina fans of the La Albiceleste and Paris Saint-Germain superstar mobbed the footballer outside an Italian restaurant where he was dining. Videos show fans in large numbers waiting and chanting for Messi and security having to escort Messi to safety with so many of them wanting to have a glimpse of him, capture him in their phone cameras or get a selfie with the legendary footballer.
Check out the videos here:
Meanwhile, there have been reports which have claimed that his current club in Ligue 1, PSG, are no longer interested in continuing his contract. There have been several reports which have linked Messi to a move back to Barcelona FC, where he spent the majority of his career.
Notably, the 35-year-old's current contract with PSG is set to expire at the end of this season after which he will be a free agent. Moreover, the club's fans booing the legend during the team's league-match defeat to Rennes would also not encourage Messi to stay with the Parisian despite initial reports claiming that a verbal agreement of his contract extension had been reached.
Barcelona, meanwhile, it is reported are more than willing to have their club's most celebrated player back in their side but a lot will also depend on the Financial Fair Play regulations which can decide with the Catalan Giants can have Messi back.