Buzz
There was a significant buzz of controversy when it emerged that a property owned by Lionel Messi, the world's top football star, is a place where airplanes have to take detours to fly over.
Previously, Lionel Messi's family resided in a modest area known as Bellamar, situated in the suburban municipality of Castelldefels, approximately 25 km from Barcelona, Spain.
The former villa, purchased by the Argentine legend in 2009 for £1.8 million, with an additional £6 million spent on renovations according to his preferences (a total of $10.3 million USD), boasts numerous balconies and wide windows overlooking the Catalan hills, nestled near the Mediterranean coast, as reported by Barcelona Checkin.
Messi's abode is just 10 km away from Barcelona El Prat, one of Europe's busiest international airports. The airport management proposed expanding the terminal with a runway over the sea, passing through the towns of Gava and Castelldefels - where Messi resides. However, the three-year project proposal was not approved.
In 2018, Javier Sánchez-Prieto, CEO of the Spanish low-cost airline Vueling, disclosed a reason related to Messi. 'You can't fly over Messi's place, this doesn't happen anywhere else in the world,' he stated.
This very fact sparked rumors that airplanes are not allowed to fly over the house of Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi. Previously, Spanish football star Luis Suarez also enjoyed a similar 'privilege'. Both footballers' houses are located in the suburbs of Barcelona, Spain. This has stirred controversy in public opinion regarding the extent of influence these football superstars wield, as well as what might be peculiar about their residences.
Immediately afterward, Vueling Airlines had to issue a clarification on their website stating that they never had any intention of involving these players in any controversy, according to ESPN.
In reality, the simple truth lies in geographical factors.
Messi's former residence is situated in the town of Gava, approximately 25 km from Barcelona and within the protected wilderness area of Del Garraf. According to Spanish environmental law, this region is home to an extremely endangered flora and fauna ecosystem and requires legal protection.
Aircraft noise pollution poses a significant issue, potentially disrupting the diverse wildlife in the area. Hence, Spanish law has imposed a ban on flying around this region.
As a result, airplanes arriving at and departing from El Prat airport must take a small detour to the Mediterranean area to avoid this zone. This is also the reason why tourists flying to Barcelona have to make a U-turn in the air.
Coincidentally, Messi's and Suarez's residences are both situated in protected areas. Neither football star has any connection to this regulation. It's fortunate that they own properties in one of the most tranquil areas on earth.
However, some still refuse to believe that Messi, as a superstar, should enjoy such rare privileges. This debate persisted until Messi departed from Barcelona, putting an end to all speculations.
At present, the villa remains under Messi's ownership, but his family has relocated to another residence.
Following Messi and his teammates' triumph in the 2022 World Cup, the image of the hero is omnipresent throughout Argentina. This marks the third time the Argentine national team has clinched the World Cup title. After 36 years since the era of Diego Maradona's victory in Mexico, Lionel Messi and his comrades have reclaimed the golden cup for their homeland.
After securing the 2022 World Cup title, Messi posted a photo of himself lifting the prestigious golden cup along with the caption: 'I've dreamt of it countless times, desiring to win it so fiercely that it wouldn't allow me to falter. It's truly unbelievable.'
'We express our gratitude to our families and all the fans who believed in us. We've proven that when we, the people of Argentina, unite and fight together, we can achieve anything. This victory belongs to everyone, all fighting for the dreams of Argentina. We did it,' Messi affirmed.
Following the final match, Messi also set some impressive personal records. With 26 goals in the World Cup and Copa America combined, Messi surpassed Ronaldo (Brazil, 25 goals) to become the leading goal scorer from South America in these two major tournaments.
Messi became the player with the most appearances in World Cup history with 26 matches. He also became the first player to score from the group stage to the final match in a World Cup tournament. With 13 goals and 8 assists, Messi also ranks among the top scorers in World Cup history (since 1966).
And in Rosario, the city where Messi was born and raised, many international tourists flock to visit. The surroundings are filled with sky-blue and white, symbolizing the colors of the Argentine national team jersey. The house in his neighborhood has also become a frequent destination for fans.
'Many international visitors come here. It's amazing how from an ordinary neighborhood, thanks to Messi, it has become a tourist attraction. Without him, nobody would know about this city,' said Fernanda, a resident in the neighborhood, expressing pride.
