Martin Dioos, forced to use a wheel chair due to an incurable disease called Duchenne, lived an unforgettable day with Lionel Messi as the star.
Dioos, 12, a resident of the Belgian city, Zwinjndrecht, met his idol whhile at Ciutat Esportiva.
Martin lives for Barcelona, so his uncle Marc committed himself to providing him with a trip to Barcelona. Along with family and friends they organized a fundraiser to collect the money for the trip.
"Messi told me everything will be okay. He gave me a special name with his shirt that I'm going to frame and hang in my room," he told the local paper "Gazet Van Antwerpen".
The life expectancy for males suffering from the muscular disease that Dioos suffers is 35-40 years.
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Lionel Messi has enchanted the world with his superb skill, cementing his place as one of the best ever. The Argentinean has stayed equally active off the field, lending his name and face to various charities, products, and organizations.
Photo: AP in English
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On June 21 st, Lionel Messi continued his latest installment of Messi and Friends an exhibition soccer tour throughout the world focused on helping underprivileged children throughout the world. His last game was dedicated to the children of Colombia.
Photo: AP in English
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Most of the work Messi does off the field is related to his Leo Messi Foundation which he founded in 2007 to help children and adolescents that are at risk throughout the world when it comes to education, health, and more.
Photo: Getty Images
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In 2011, the Argentinean star partnered with FIFA Street who in exchange for having Messi as its star, dedicated funds to his foundation and also rebuilt a street court in a poor area of Barcelona.
Photo: FIFA Street
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It was not his first foray into video games, in 2010 he helped sponsor Pro Evolution Soccer alongside Spanish Star Fernando Torres.
Photo: Pro Evolution Soccer
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Also partnering with his foundation, Lionel Messi has been a sponsor for Herbalife since 2010 as one of their main spokespeople with proceeds from the company going to his foundation.
Photo: Herbalife
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His foundation has also been linked to UNICEF; the star finally became an international ambassador for the organization in 2010 and has visited at-risk places like Haiti with UNICEF as part of his role.
Photo: AP in English
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Of course, due to his superb talent Messi has always been a star at the awards ceremonies, especially the Golden Ball which he has won three consecutive years.
Photo: Getty Images
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Due to his actions on and off the field, Lionel Messi has become one of the defining stars of our generation, two-times running in the Time 100 Most Influential people.
Photo: Time Magazine
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Lionel Messi is sponsored by Adidas and aside from using their gear; he features prominently in their advertisements and commercials.
Photo: Getty Images
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Aside from his many awards and organizations, Messi has maintained a low profile when it comes to his personal life, only recently admitting that he will be a father with his longtime girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo.
Photo: AP in English
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The closest Messi has come to off-the-field controversy was when rumors circulated about him attending a wild party in Argentina with Diego Milito, Gaby Milito and Palermo, though even then witnesses admitted he spent the night playing PlayStation
Photo: AP in English
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Lionel Messi has enchanted the world with his superb skill, cementing his place as one of the best ever. The Argentinean has stayed equally active off the field, lending his name and face to various charities, products, and organizations.
Photo: AP in English
