Lionel Messi Honored by Newell’s Old Boys with Stadium Stand Named in His Honor on 38th Birthday

Messi with Newell's Old Boys

On his 38th birthday, Lionel Messi received a deeply personal tribute from his boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys. The Rosario-based team officially announced that one of the stands at their historic Estadio Marcelo Bielsa will now bear the name of the Argentine icon, cementing his legacy at the club where his football journey began.

Although Messi left Newell’s at the age of 13 to join Barcelona, his emotional bond with the red-and-black jersey never wavered. The club marked the tribute with a statement: “Today, the Coloso writes a new page. For the first time, the two most powerful names in soccer history live under the same roof: OURS.”

The newly named Lionel Messi Stand will face the stand named after Diego Maradona, forming a symbolic generational bridge between Argentina’s two most celebrated football legends. In a special design touch, the number “10” emblazoned on the Messi stand will feature the same font used by the Argentina national team during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where Messi captained his country to championship glory.

Estadio Marcelo Bielsa, affectionately called “El Coloso,” already pays tribute to several club legends. Named after iconic coach Marcelo Bielsa in 2009, the stadium also features tributes to Maxi Rodríguez and Gerardo “Tata” Martino, key figures in Newell’s recent history.

Now Messi joins that revered group—not through a training ground or youth academy facility, as has been done for Cristiano Ronaldo—but in the core of matchday energy and fan passion, with supporters cheering from a stand carrying his name.

“The bond between Messi and Newell’s is eternal,” the club emphasized in a statement. “He left as a boy, but he remains our son.”

The Lionel Messi Stand is scheduled for completion by mid-July, just in time for the Clausura Tournament. Fans continue to dream of a possible return for Messi to play at the club where it all began. Club president Ignacio Astore recently hinted that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner still holds a strong emotional connection to Newell’s, raising hopes that the tribute could one day evolve into a full-circle homecoming.

Messi is currently under contract with Inter Miami until the end of 2025.