Lionel Messi's hometown Rosario bans parents from naming kids 'Messi'

Lionel Messi with his son Thiago

Lionel Messi’s hometown of Rosario in Argentina have banned its residents from naming their new-born children “Messi”, according to reports.

This law was passed after an Argentine citizen named his son “Messi Varela”.

Although ‘Messi’ is a surname, the man used it as a first name for his son. 

Family name not to be used as a first name

The main reasoning behind this is to avoid families from using a surname as the first name and thereby avoid confusion. 

Varela, however, was only too happy to name his son after Messi, saying that “he was proud to be the first Argentinian to name his son after Messi”.

Officials in Rosario did not want Varela to set a precedent where families would do the same and name their kids after the four-time Ballon d’Or winner. 

After all, there can only be one Messi. Two, if you count his son.

Families are still, however, allowed to name their child after Diego Maradona.