Lionel Messi stand unveiled at Newell's Old Boys stadium as Inter Miami superstar gets Diego Maradona treatment at his boyhood club after turning 38

Newell's Old Boys have unveiled a new Lionel Messi stand, with the Argentina superstar following in the footsteps of Diego Maradona.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Lionel Messi stand unveiled
• Newell's Old Boys honour superstar
• Receives Maradona treatment

• GOAL
  

  Table of Contents

  Toggle

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi was initially a member of the Newell's Old Boys academy before leaving to join Barcelona aged 13, and the Argentine club have moved to honour their boyhood star after his 38th birthday by naming a new stand after him at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Lionel Messi stand is the club's latest tribute to a legend of Argentinian football, with the stadium named after the club's former player and coach Bielsa, and another stand bearing the name "Pelusa", the nickname of Diego Maradona.

• WHAT NEWELL'S OLD BOYS SAID

  Newell's Old Boys posted a video on social media showing the new stand, with the caption: "The Colossus adds a new chapter. For the first time, two football legends share the same home: ours."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Newell's Old Boys still hope to persuade Messi to finish his professional career at the club, with club president Ignacio Astore claiming recently that he knows how much the World Cup-winning skipper "wants to come". A potential return may depend on whether Messi decides to renew his current contract at Inter Miami, which is set to expire at the end of the 2025 season.