the childhood neighborhood, the school, the murals and other stops on the Messi Circuit in Rosario

Fito, Lito Nebbia, Fontanarrosa, Antonio Berni, Alberto Olmedo… the names born in Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe, pile up. But, in recent times, Lionel Messi takes all the chips. A tour with the milestones of your life In the city it is possible to explore a large part walking.

Who could imagine, if they don’t already know, that Juan Manuel Fangio was born on the same day than the current captain of the Argentine National Team? Just like Ernesto Sábato. On the anniversary of Gardel’s death. It was also June 24 when the Maracana.

It was 1987 when Celia María or “Puchi”, as her close friends call her, gave birth to Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini at the Italian Garibaldi Hospital in Rosario.

Since he was little he settled in the family house in the La Bajada neighborhoodsouth of the city, in the State of Israel 525. It was the property of the maternal grandparents.

Over there lived until he was 13 years old, when he set off towards a path of legend. This is one of the milestones that marks the Messi Circuit that promotes the Rosario Tourist Entity and that can be toured around the city.

Here the route and the must-see points.

The home of the Messi family in the south of Rosario It is located in a conjunction of small streets and cuts. Even today the neighbors remember the endless noise of the ball against the gate of his house that he beat all day.

At the initiative of the locals, 34 allusive murals that are distributed throughout the area.

In Buenos Aires 4800, a few blocks from the family home, is the School No. 66 “General Las Heras”. He spent his primary schooling there.

Messi returned on several occasions. In 2007 for a alumni reunionand in 2015, at the initiative of the foundation that bears his name, which summoned the Brazilian street artist Paulo Cosentino to make a mural in the courtyard showing Leo wearing the Argentine shirt.

Legend has it that on a field at Gregorio de Laferrere 4800 the story began.

Leo had gone to see his brother Matías with his grandmother Celia. At that time he was 4 years old. His brother’s team was missing a player. She suggested to coach Salvador Aparicio that he play “the flea,” even though the rest of the players were twice his age.

Was one before and one after: Leo shone on the field, scored the winning goal and dedicated it to his grandmother in the stands, which sowed tradition.

In the enclave of the Azara and Buenos Aires streets There is the mural that bears that inscription. It was painted while the 2021 Copa América was being played, in front of the Las Heras school and the work was carried out by the muralists from Imagina and Grupo Sismo.

In Juan Manuel de Rosas and the State of Israel, arriving straight from the family home, the paddock still smells like Messi. It was the free and constant destiny for share football and ride a bike.

By 2018, the group of friends at the time transformed the site into a social club.

Located in part of what was the property of the former Battalion 121, in the Héroes de Malvinas park, is this museum designed to highlight the many local sporting gloriesamong them, Messi, of course.

The Rosario star specially donated to the entity the ball and the golden boot he received in 2019.

Messi, team fan which has its field in Parque Independencia, played on its field three times, always in friendlies.

The first in 2009 in a benefit meeting organized by the Pupi Foundation of former player Javier Zanetti. The second in 2011, before the Copa América that was played in Argentina. The last one took place in 2023 in the farewell match of former club player Maxi Rodríguez.

The club’s children’s school is called “Malvinas Argentinas”. With the number 99231 of the Rosarina Football Association, his signing appears on March 30, 1994. He debuted against the Pablo VI team. He scored 4 goals in the 6-0 victory. His team was nicknamed Machine 87: he was invincible.

As spectator was many timesalthough one in particular is unique: the day of Maradona’s debut at Newell’s, when he attended with his father.

Little is known about the games that Messi played in December 1995 with the blue and red shirt of the La Tablada neighborhood club. At the initiative of a friend, he joined the team for a children’s tournament that made him champion, winning the final against Social Lux.

At the crossroads of Pellegrini Avenue and Entre Ríos Street is found the plate where Lionel is honored for having won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, in 2008.

He walk is a tribute that Rosario offers to outstanding Rosario athletes of that competition and extends both sides of the avenue, from Moreno Street to Sarmiento.

Con 69 meters highthis mural became the largest tribute to Messi in Rosario.

Under the name “From another galaxy and from my city”, It is part of the project that carried out the La Bajada mural.

It was also led by the artists Jacinto Urteaga, Marlene Zuriaga and Lisandro Urteaga, members of the Imagina Pintura Mural group. The artistic piece has 534 square meters.

The famous Vip Bar in Rioja and Alem, in front of the Flag Monument, in Rosario, is in the hands of Lionel Messi’s younger sister. Outdoor tables with lots of greenery and Paraná river in the background.

On the other hand, the City Center complex It is usually a stop on the circuit: it is the place that Antonela and Leo chose to celebrate their wedding.