Lionel Messi's reaction to a mural created by residents of Berazategui became one of the most talked about stories on social networks a few hours before the start of the 2026 World Cup, in which the Albiceleste will defend its title. What began as a community tribute to the captain of the Argentina national team ended up reaching the footballer himself, who responded with a message that moved his supporters and multiplied the impact of the project.

The Messi mural that conquered social networks

On a wall specially built in a parking lot in Berazategui, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, stands an imposing portrait of Lionel Messi surrounded by more than 1,100 signatures from neighbors.

The initiative was born from the muralist Leonel García, 32, who sought to create a different tribute after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"As there are already many murals, we had to add a differentiating factor. My idea was to get all the people to sign, put their name and with a greeting to Messi for the World Cup," García explained to EFE.

Federico Merodo, 23 years old, owner of the parking lot where the work is currently located, joined to make the project a reality.

“Leo proposed to me the idea of ​​doing a job of this size that included all of Berazategui and I loved it,” Merodo told the EFE agency.

How they managed to build the tribute that reached Messi

Since the property did not have an adequate surface, both decided to build a brick wall six meters wide by five and a half high exclusively to house the mural.

In addition, they turned to social networks to get sponsors to help finance the materials necessary to complete the work.

The artistic work required 18 days of intensive work. Using just eight colors, García managed to recreate Lionel Messi's face with shadows, lights and details that quickly caught the attention of the community.

More than 1,100 neighbors left their signature for the Argentine captain

As the mural progressed, expectation grew throughout the town. The organizers called on residents to actively participate by leaving a signature along with messages of support for the Argentine star.

The response exceeded all expectations: "More than 1,100 people signed. It was a historic event for the municipality. Many were left outside because the wall could not cope," García said.

The images of the tribute began to go viral on different platforms and were shared by figures linked to sports and culture.

Messi's message that moved the creators of the mural

The impact was so great that the tribute finally reached the hands of Lionel Messi himself. On June 3, the world champion surprised everyone by sending a video of gratitude addressed to those responsible for the initiative and the neighbors who participated.

"It was crazy. Thank you very much to you and to all the people who supported them, who came closer and continue to come closer," said the footballer.

The reaction of the Argentine captain was much more than the organizers imagined they would achieve.

"We hoped he would like him on Instagram. But he doubled the bet and gave us a beautiful video. For me as an artist it is an impressive milestone," said García.

The next dream: getting Messi's original signature

After receiving the unexpected message from the Argentine star, the promoters of the project already have a new objective: obtain an original signature from Messi to incorporate it into the mural along with the more than 1,100 signatures from the neighbors.

Meanwhile, the work has already established itself as a symbol of identity for Berazategui and promises to become a meeting point for future celebrations of the Argentine National Team, especially in the run-up to a new international competition.