Messi joins legends with stadiums, stands named after them

While his spot among the all-time elite is already beyond doubt, Lionel Messi took a further measurement into immortality this week with boyhood nine Newell's Old Boys naming a basal successful grant of their eight-time Ballon d'Or winning alumnus.

The Rosario-based nine made their expansive announcement connected June 24, the time that Messi celebrated his 38th birthday. A conception of their stadium volition beryllium everlastingly emblazoned with yet different of the astir celebrated names successful Argentina's shot history.

Almost each country of the stadium known arsenic El Coloso ("The Colossus") is festooned with tributes to nine legends. It was renamed Estadio Marcelo Bielsa successful 2009 to herald the achievements of 1 of the infamously unorthodox manager who masterminded Newell's Primera División rubric triumph successful 1991.

Former Newell's subordinate and manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino, who has the occidental concourse of the stadium named aft him. There is besides a basal named aft erstwhile Atlético Madrid and Liverpool midfielder Maxi Rodríguez, who was granted the grant to coincide with his 40th day successful 2021 aft helium spent a full of 9 years astatine Newell's crossed 3 spells.

Messi is erstwhile again rubbing shoulders with the late, large Diego Maradona, whose azygous (and reasonably unremarkable) play astatine Newell's during the aboriginal 1990s was capable to person the southbound basal named aft him.

For the record, Messi's longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo will, for now, person to marque bash with simply having his sanction supra the doorway astatine Sporting CP's grooming crushed and C.D. Nacional's academy.

To people Messi claiming his archetypal stadium-based grant to adhd to his sprawling postulation of vocation accolades and awards, here's a timely look astatine a enactment of different luminaries successful the athletics who person been granted akin prestige.

Diego Maradona

As good arsenic a stadium astatine Newell's Old Boys, Maradona has besides seen not one, but 2 arenas renamed successful his honor. The archetypal was the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, location of Argentinos Juniors, the nine with whom the teenaged Maradona made his nonrecreational debut successful 1976. Not that helium needed immoderate help, but the iconic No. 10 was past immortalized each implicit again erstwhile Napoli renamed their Stadio San Paolo successful his grant pursuing his decease successful 2020.

Pelé

Brazil's ain footballing royalty, Pelé tin besides assertion to person had a stadium named successful his grant successful the comparatively humble guise of the Estádio Rei Pelé (King Pelé Stadium). The crushed is located successful the authorities of Maceio and provides a location basal for 2 section lower-league teams: Clube de Regatas Brasil of Serie B and Centro Sportivo Alagoano of Serie C.

Ferenc Puskás

As good arsenic lending his sanction to FIFA's yearly grant for the astir beauteous extremity scored anyplace successful the satellite successful immoderate fixed year, Hungary and Real Madrid fable Ferenc Puskás besides has the 67,000-seater arena successful Budapest bearing his moniker. The stadium was completed successful 2019 aft being rebuilt connected the tract of the erstwhile location of the nationalist team.

Johan Cruyff

Formerly known arsenic the Amsterdam Arena, Ajax made the agelong overdue determination to rename their stadium successful grant of the club's greatest-ever player, and the manager who arguably did much than immoderate different to specify what we present cognize arsenic the modern game. As such, the stadium was rechristened arsenic the Johan Cruyff Arena up of the 2018-19 season, 2 years aft Cruyff's death.

Arsène Wenger

While Arsenal proceed to plug distant with prosaic basal names specified arsenic the North Bank, East Stand, Clock End, and West Stand astatine the Emirates, it took a tiny determination squad successful France to sanction a stadium aft the Gunners' legendary manager. USL Duppigheim decided to grant Wenger, who grew up adjacent and coached Arsenal's "Invincibles," by putting his sanction to their caller 500-capacity location stadium, which was built connected a erstwhile murphy tract and opened successful 2016.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton

There whitethorn beryllium plans successful the works to physique a caller location for Manchester United, but portion Old Trafford inactive stands, a coagulated 50% of the stadium is named aft 2 of the club's astir important figures. The North Stand was renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand successful 2011 to coincide with Fergie's 25th twelvemonth successful complaint of United (as good arsenic a statue to the long-reigning manager being erected connected the concourse outside). The expansive unveiling of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand (formerly the South Stand) followed successful 2016 connected the 60th day of Charlton's nonrecreational debut for the club.

Sir Kenny Dalglish

Four decades aft helium archetypal became a Liverpool player, Kenny Dalglish saw his immeasurable publication to the nine commemorated successful 2017 with the unveiling of a basal bearing his sanction astatine Anfield. The silky Scottish guardant made implicit 500 appearances for the Reds, scored 172 goals, won six titles and 3 European Cups, and past returned to triumph 3 further First Division titles arsenic manager, among a raft of different cups, honors and inspiring charitable work. It's nary wonderment they telephone him The King.

Didier Drogba

Having played younker shot for French amateur broadside Levallois arsenic a 15-year-old, Drogba was understandably flattered erstwhile his erstwhile nine decided to sanction their stadium aft him successful 2010. The ex-Chelsea guardant spent 4 formative years with Levallois earlier moving to league broadside Le Mans, for whom helium made his nonrecreational debut successful 1998. A determination to Marseille followed earlier helium was brought to Stamford Bridge, wherever the Ivory Coast planetary won 4 Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Fernando Torres

Born and raised successful the Madrid suburbs, Torres made waves successful the younker ranks astatine Atlético Madrid arsenic a prodigious younker imaginable wherever helium earned the El Niño nickname that stuck with him his full career. To people the hometown hero's ascent to greatness, section broadside CF Fuenlabrada renamed their multi-purpose stadium aft Torres successful 2011 and to headdress things disconnected the World Cup and treble Euros-winning Spain striker's parents were invited arsenic guests of grant to the inaugural crippled -- a affable against Atlético.

Dwight Yorke

When Trinidad & Tobago needed a caller stadium for the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship, they decided to physique themselves 1 conscionable extracurricular the Tobagonian superior of Scarborough. Who amended to sanction it aft than the Caribbean nation's astir celebrated and palmy footballing export? The Dwight Yorke Stadium, which honors the striker who was inactive playing for Manchester United astatine the time, is inactive successful usage contiguous and provides a location for the section amateur team.