If Lionel Messi wasn't already a messianic figure in his native Argentina, he certainly is after the nation's recent World Cup triumph.
A new video shows the 35-year-old arriving at his niece's 15th birthday party in his hometown of Rosario, only to be mobbed by his adoring fans - who block the car's path.
Messi fever is in full flow after his starring role in Argentina's first FIFA World Cup win since 1986 earlier this month. The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored twice in the final (and seven goals overall) before cooly slotting his spot-kick home in the resulting penalty shootout against France.
For many, the result confirmed Messi's status as the greatest footballer of all-time, and nowhere was that sentiment more obvious than in Argentina itself.
Advert
A video, first shared by Telenoche Rosario, shows Messi arriving at the birthday party of his young niece in an SUV.
However, waiting for him patiently were hordes of football fans, all eager to get a glimpse of the superstar.
Many of the attendees could be heard on the video chanting 'dale campeon' - or 'lets go champion'.
It took Messi - who was driving - a while to clear the crowds, who surrounded his car to get as close as they could to their idol.
Some people on social media were quick to point out how the level of worship on display shows the exact reason why Messi couldn't live or play in Argentina permanently.
One Twitter user posted: "Ironically, that's why Messi cannot live and play in Argentina."
A second person added: "And he wants to live in Argentina when he retires? no chance. GOAT can’t even attend his nieces party in peace."
A third simply asked "What's wrong with people".
Elsewhere in Messi news, it was revealed on Wednesday (28 December) that the Qatar hotel room in which Argentina's number 10 stayed in will be turned into a 'museum' for public viewing.
This comes from Achraf Ben Ayad's twitter account, who confirmed that the University of Qatar space will be immortalised following Messi's World Cup heroics.
While making his room into a museum will split opinion, it most certainly was a tournament to remember for the winning captain.
After all, the FIFA World Cup was the only major trophy which had alluded Messi so far, having previously won the Copa America, and four Champions League titles.
On 28th December, watch Leeds United vs Manchester City in the Premier League live. Watch for free with a 30-day trial to Prime!
Topics: Lionel Messi, Football World Cup, Argentina, Paris Saint-Germain
Tom Fenton