In 2007 messi founded a charity called the Leo Messi Foundation to help vulnerable children get health care and education. As a result of Messi himself having medical difficulties as a child he has also offered argentine children diagnosed with illnesses medical care in spain and pays for all travel expenses to the country. The year of 2011 also seen Messi named as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF for supporting childrens rights. He also gave £600,000 to the refurbishment of a childrens hospital in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina as well paying for the doctors to travel to Barcelona for training.
Last year Messi offered to pay the medical bills of a young 12 year old boy who suffers from a growth hormone deficiency which Messi himself suffered from as a boy. The boys dreams of becoming a proffesional football player had been shattered until the Barcelona star offered to pay for his medical costs until he turned 18. He also sent the boy a message encouraging him to be strong, GHD affects around 1 in 3800 births. Many people overlook football players to be greedy and self-centred but they don’t go to the bother of looking what the players do behind the scenes with Messi being a prime example although he is 1 of many doing charity work. Messi’s net yearly salary is said to hit around 110 million euros to which he gives a considerable amount to charity.