CELEBRITY
From glory to agony for Messi, ordered to demolish luxury four-star hotel
Just days after winning, though controversially, his record seventh Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi has been ordered by a Barcelona court to demolish a luxury hotel he has in Barcelona.
According to Mirror, quoting from Spanish publication, El Confidencial,.the Argentine’s 77-bedroom building, the MiM Sitges does not meet city standards.
It is located close to where Messi used to live whilst he plied his trade at the Camp Nou.
Messi also owns hotels in Ibiza and and Majorca through the Majestic Hotel Group and spent £26m on the Barcelona-based residence in 2017.
But the report from Spain states that the superstar purchased the hotel without being aware that the Sitges Town Hall had already ordered its demolition as a result of non-compliance with building codes.
The hotel’s balconies are believed to be too big, but the building could even collapse if they are downsized or torn down.
Not only that, but the fire emergency plan reportedly also failed to meet the authorities’ standards.
Messi is understood to have just been made aware of the demolition order when the Spanish newspaper approached him for comment, which he and his representatives passed on.
The hotel has been praised for its approach to sustainability, with 80% of the material used for the building’s construction either reused or recyclable.
But the man himself seems less fussed about that label, as he told France Football, via AS : “I never said I’m the best in history nor do I try to push that perception myself.
“For me, being considered by others as one of the best in history is more than enough.
“It’s something I would never have imagined. It’s something that doesn’t interest me, it doesn’t change anything whether I’m considered the best or not.
“And I never wanted to be.”
Messi’s latest Ballon d’Or win was arguably his most controversial, narrowly beating out Bayern Munich ‘s Robert Lewandowski.
But, in classy fashion, the winner paid tribute to his close competitor, who was the favourite to win in 2020 before the award was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, during his acceptance speech.
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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