Lionel Messi Accidentally Insults Egyptians With Shoe Donation

It's the agony of de' feet.

Lionel Messi, a forward for FC Barcelona, is one of the most famous athletes on the planet.

His face is seen on many brands worldwide, including Adidas, which pays him $3.3 million annually for wearing their shoes. Every once in awhile, he does interviews, as athletes often do.

Unfortunately, during a recent interview on the “Yes I am Famous” broadcast on Egyptian MBC’s Misr Channel, Messi did something charitable and gained some jeers for it.

Wait, what?! 

There he is, the dazzling footballer sitting in front of Mona El-Sharkawy, host of the show, when he did what most denizens of Earth would consider a very kind gesture — he gave her his cleats for an auction she was holding for a charity.

What

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

To Read the Full Story Become an Adweek+ Subscriber

View Subscription Options

Already a member? Sign in