Chinese fans will be able to celebrate the achievements of Barcelona great Lionel Messi at a new theme park to be built in Beijing.
The Messi Experience Park, which is being launched by the five time Ballon d’Or winner in collaboration with Chinese broadcaster Phoenix Group and Spanish media company Mediapro, is set to open in 2019.
The theme park will have 20 indoor and outdoor attractions in a 42,000 square metre space which will ‘immerse visitors in Messi’s universe,’ a statement from the player’s Leo Messi Management group said
‘I hope to provide them with an experience they have never had before and encourage people to play football from an early age,’ he told reporters.
David Xirau, director of Mediapro Exhibitions said the theme park will ‘use the most advanced technology’ to combine attractions with spaces to play the world’s most popular sport.
Companies from China have invested heavily in foreign clubs in recent years as President Xi Jinping has called for the country to develop a world-class soccer industry.
Chinese ambitions for soccer have also extended to spicing up the domestic league with a clutch of high-profile signings.
Messi is Barcelona’s highest paid player, earning an estimated £35million per year, which is set to increase this summer as he is expected to sign a bumper new long-term contract with Barca, where his current deal runs until 2018.
Messi’s image rights have come under the spotlight since he was charged with avoiding £4m of tax on his commercial earnings between 2009 and 2011.
He was found guilty of tax fraud along with his father Jorge last year, and handed a prison sentence of 21 months and a fine of £1.7m.
His appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court last month although he is unlikely to go to prison.
