Football: Messi Becomes Bricklayer In Gabon

Four times FIFA World Best Player and Barcelona star man Lionel Messi was the guest of President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon on Saturday as the star player laid the foundation for a new facility that will host matches of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Barca man who is on vacation after the Copa America where his team lost in the final visited Gabon and was welcome by the President and his entourage, during his visit the Messi helped to lay the foundation for a new 20,000-seat stadium in Port-Gentil. He also signed autographs for many cheerful fans.

During the ceremony President Ali Bongo told the media this “When I was in Barcelona a few years ago, I saw Messi and he said he would come to visit me in Libreville”. “It was a promise which he made to me. He is a man of honour, one who has kept his word. The calendar worked out well and it has corresponded with the laying of the first stone” the leader of the Gabon added.

Port-Gentil is Gabon’s second biggest city and it will be the host city for the 2017 Afcon as the country would also hope to do better than their quarter final finish at the last Afcon.