Messi visits Gabon to lay foundation for new stadium

The Barcelona star was a guest of President Ali Bongo Ondimba on Saturday to lay the ground for a new facility that will host matches of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Barcelona star Lionel Messi spent a part of his vacation on a visit to Gabon on Saturday where he helped to lay the foundation for a new 20,000-seat stadium in Port-Gentil. The Argentina captain was a guest of President Ali Bongo Ondimba. He signed autographs for many joyous fans before he was driven in a presidential convoy to the scene of the foundation laying ceremony. "When I was in Barcelona a few years ago, I saw Messi and he said he would come to visit me in Libreville," President Bong told media. "It was a promise which he made to me. He is a man of honour, one who has kept his word. The calendar worked out well and it has corresponded with the laying of the first stone," the Gabonese leader added. Port-Gentil, Gabon’s second biggest city, will be home to matches during the 2017 Afcon. Gabon co-hosted the 2012 tournament with Equatorial Guinea. They would hope to do better than the quarter final finish from the last time.