Argentine star Lionel Messi, striker for Paris Saint-Germain, called on his followers to make donations to the victims of the “devastating” earthquake that hit large areas of southern Turkey and northern Syria.
And Messi published through his official Instagram account a photo of a girl who was pulled out from the rubble by a man, carried by a man.
Messi commented on the post in Spanish and English: “These are very sad days for the thousands of children and their families affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.”
The Argentine star added: “My heart is with them, which is why the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been working in the region since the beginning to protect children.”
Messi concluded by urging his followers to help these children and the victims, saying: “Your help is very valuable!” And posted an email link for anyone who wants to help.
The post received a wide response from the subscribers of the best player in the world 7 times, as it gained more than 1.5 million likes in an hour after publication.
Messi has joined a campaign led by Turkish Atalanta defender Merih Demiral to raise donations for the earthquake victims.
And Messi sent one of his shirts, which he wore earlier against Saint-Germain, to Demiral to be auctioned off.
Sirada Lionel Messi var;
Leo’nun maçta giyip imzaladığı formasını açık artırmayla satıyoruz!
Satıştan elde edilecek gelir deprem bölgesinde kullanılmak üzere @ahbap ‘a bagışlanacaktır.
Lionel Messi is one of the most important players in the world @hakanc10 ve @gigiodonna1 ‘ya çok teşekkürler pic.twitter.com/6INZsnWaA8– Merih Demiral (@Merihdemiral) February 10, 2023
Demiral tweeted: “Next is Lionel Messi. We are auctioning the Leo shirt that he wore and signed during the match. Proceeds will be donated to earthquake-hit areas.”
Demiral has not yet disclosed the amount for which Leo’s shirt was sold, although two days have passed since it was put up for sale.
Demiral’s campaign also includes Real Madrid star Karim Benzema, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Paris Saint-Germain duo Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, and Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.
Demiral was able to sell the shirts of his former Juventus colleagues Cristiano Ronaldo, Leonardo Bonucci and Paulo Dybala, as well as Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard, Atlético Madrid’s Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
And Turkish media reports previously reported that Messi, through his charitable organization, donated 3.5 million euros to earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey, which will be used to treat the injured and rebuild destroyed homes.
Source: instagram/leomessi + media