Lionel Messi Denies Getting $3.7 for Gabon Trip

Lionel Messi has denied reports that he was paid $3.7 for his trip to Gabon and has asked for correction on the story

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has denied the report that he was paid $3.7 for his visit to African country Gabon.

The four time Ballon d'Or winner was in Gabon as guest of President Ali Bongo to lay foundations for a new stadium in the city of Port-Gentil which will host the 2017 African Cup of Nations.

Gabon’s opposition party angry with Lionel Messi

The Gabonese Government has been embroiled in a publicity saga, since Barcelona star player, Lionel Messi visited the country to lay the foundation stone for a 40,000 seater stadium in Port-Gentil.

Activists have accused the government of spending well needed funds on Messi. They claim that Messi, and his former Barça team-mate Deco received €3.5m from the government.

But the government through it embassy in France refuted the claim saying “The Republic of Gabon strongly denies having transferred or having promised to transfer any sum of money to the Argentine international football player Lionel Messi, who was in Gabon from 17 to 18 July 2015 on the invitation of Ali Bongo.”

Messi has also been criticised for showing open support forPresident Ali Bongo Ondimba, who critics say used fraudulent means to remain in power.

Also, Gabon’s opposition party said that “lack of respect for standards and principles.”

The Union du Peuple Gabonais (UPG) released a statement saying “The messiah of football arrived in Gabon like he were going to a zoo: dirty, unshaven and his hands in his pockets, looking for peanuts to throw to them! When you’re called Lionel Messi and you’re a multi-billionaire, you don’t have the right to present yourself to officials of a republic, even a banana one, with your hands in the pockets of a ripped, tattered pair of shorts."

“Gabon isn’t a zoo. We don’t know what the Argentine came to Gabon for, but we at least have the right to denounce his negligence and his lack of respect for standards and principles. We are uneasy with Messi’s attitude and his attire. Only for these reasons, linked to respect for the host country, do we condemn the footballer’s indelicateness, to say the least!” It said.

President Bongo, during a visit with Messi to one of his restaurants said “When I was in  Barcelona  a few years ago, I met Messi who had told me that he would come to visit me in Libreville. It’s a promise he made me. He is a man of honour who just kept his word.”

LOL! Man steals the foundation stone Messi laid in Gabon

Lionel Messi recently laid the first stone of the new Port-Gentil stadium in Gabon which will host African Cup of Nations Matches in 2017. Well, after Messi laid the foundation stone which he was reportedly paid £3.5million for, an angry man kidnapped the foundation stone. He is now demanding 3m CFA as a condition to release it. 

President Of Gabon Drives Lionel Messi

Four-time world player of the year, Lionel Messi was hosted in Gabon on Saturday July 18th by the country's President, Ali Bongo, for the brick laying of their new 22,000 seat stadium. He was chauffeur driven by the president himself around the streets of Libreville.

Messi has been participating along with the president of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, in a ceremony to open the Port-Gentil stadium, which will host games at the African Cup of Nations in 2017.

Messi officially started the building process at the Port-Gentil stadium, which will host Africa Cup of Nations matches in 2017. He came dressed in a casual pair of denim shorts and t-shirt

"When I was in Barcelona a few years ago, I met Messi who had told me that he would come to visit me in Libreville" said the Gabon president. "It's a promise he made me. He is a man of honour who just kept his word.".

There are reports that he was paid 3.5m Euros by Ali Bongo to make the appearance and it's causing serious wahala in the country. Gabonese are angry about the obscene amount and say their president belittled himself by driving Messi around. He was there for just one day. More photos...