He’s the latest A-lister to visit the city…

We love it when an A-lister visits the UAE, and with Expo 2020 and the Abu Dhabi F1 taking place recently, there has been no shortage of that celebrity fairy dust. Footballing legend Lionel Messi surprised fans when he visited Expo 2020 on Monday, December 13.

We were wondering when he might turn up, as he is an ambassador for Expo 2020, aka ‘The World’s Greatest Show’. Messi even starred in a promotional video for the expo back in 2019, in which he ‘passed the ball around the world’.

At the Expo 2020 site on Monday, he was spotted bouncing a football and posing in front of the Expo 2020 Water Feature, as well as visiting the Argentina pavilion. He certainly caused a stir, with Expo 2020 visitors running to keep up with his golf buggy as he was ferried to different locations.

A footballing ace has got to keep his strength up, and Messi delighted diners at Roberto’s in DIFC, making his way to his table for dinner.

The 12th annual edition of the Globe Soccer Awards is taking place on December 27, and Messi is shortlisted alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski, Lucy Bronze and Alexia Putellas, so we hope to see him in the city then too.

Images: Social