FC Barcelona’s star forward and worldwide football phenomenon, Lionel Messi, has been appointed UNWTO Ambassador for Responsible Tourism.
Messi joins the Spanish football player Fernando Hierro and Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque as the first personalities appointed by the UNWTO to advance the links between sports and tourism and promote the transformative power of responsible tourism.
UNWTO secretary-general, Zurab Pololikashvili, commented: “Messi is a unique sportsman and an example of how willpower and constant work yield good results. It is a great honour to have Messi joining UNWTO and other well-known personalities in promoting the positive values and benefits that tourism represents.”
Messi is the first football player in history who won five Ballon D´Or – the first four consecutively – and four European Golden Shoes. In the time he has played for Barcelona, the club has won a total of 30 titles, including eight Spanish Leagues, four Champion Leagues and five King’s Cups of Spain.
