Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has seen his €11 million (£9m/$12m) Ibiza mansion vandalised by the climate activist group 'Futuro Vegetal'.
Activists break into Messi's propertyPaint mansion red & blackMessi on holiday after Copa America WHAT HAPPENED?
As per , the activists broke into Messi's Ibiza villa at the start of the week and painted the property red and black, while sharing photos of their act of vandalism on social media. In several of the posts, two members of the group can be seen holding up a banner that says "Help the planet, eat the rich, abolish the police" in an attempt to denounce government policies that they believe to be aggravating the climate crisis.
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Futuro Vegetal have explained their actions in a statement on , which reads: "We tinted Messi's illegal mansion in Ibiza. The Mansion is an illegal construction that the footballer acquired for the exorbitant sum of 11 million euros. While this is happening, in the Balearic Islands alone between 2 and 4 people have died as a direct consequence of the heat wave. The richest 1% of the population is responsible for the same amount of carbon emissions as the poorest two-thirds. This is only possible because public authorities support an economic-social system that threatens life. While the far right blames migrants for the crisis and displays extreme violence against them, those of us who fight for a better world are clear that the problem is social inequality. Let's tackle the problems at the root. We need a radical change of system to face the Climate Crisis."
GettyDID YOU KNOW?
According to the , Messi purchased the San Josep property in 2022, and has been a regular visitor to Ibiza over the years with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their three children. Messi has yet to respond to the break-in at his Spanish property, but the news will come as a major shock ahead of his return to action at Inter Miami.
WHAT NEXT?
Messi has been enjoying an extended break from club action after helping Argentina retain their Copa America title in the United States. He is also recovering from an ankle injury picked up in the final of that tournament, with no official return date set for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner yet. Inter Miami are sitting top of the Eastern Conference in MLS after 16 games, but their current focus is locked on the Leagues Cup and a round of 32 clash against Toronto FC later this week.