Lionel Messi may be a World Cup winner and national icon in Argentina, but his face will not be appearing on banknotes in his homeland.
There had been suggestions on the back of a memorable victory over France at Qatar 2022 that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner would be further immortalized by seeing his face splashed across money in Argentina. Several mocked-up images surfaced on social media, with Messi apparently set to figure on a 1,000 Argentine peso note.
Fernando Alonso, senior manager of communications and community relations at the Banco Central De La Republica Argentina (BCRA), has refuted those claims by telling BOOM: “There is no truth in this. This topic is not on the work agenda.”
While Messi’s face may not be added to bank notes, more murals have been springing up in Argentina recognizing his achievements in the Middle East – with the Paris Saint-Germain forward emulating the efforts of fellow World Cup winner Diego Maradona from 1986.
