Parents who wish to name their children after Barcelona star Lionel Messi will now be prohibited from doing so in his home city.
Authorities in Argentina have moved to stop any more kids being called ‘Messi’ amid concerns that the situation could get out of control.
It all came about after Hector Varela from Rio Negro in the south of Argentina battled with authorities in order to be allowed to name his son Messi Daniel Varela.
This was the first such case in the country, but it has led to a civil servant moving swiftly to ensure that it is not followed by a deluge of other parents in Rosario the forward’s home city.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, the director of the Civil Register of the Santa Fe province, Gonzalo Carrillo, has said Messi is now not permitted as a forename.
It is now “against the law”, report the paper, in a bid to take away any confusion following what could have been seen as a precedent.
Varela said of the situation with his child’s name: “I am Messi’s father. Many people chose Lionel as a name for their sons after Messi, but this is more obvious”.
He requested special permission from the authorities, unaware that his son was to be Argentina’s first and that such a fuss was about to be kicked up.
Finally, his son was successfully registered as ‘Messi Daniel Varela’.
Earlier this year, Catalonia’s veterinary association released figures that suggested 701 cats and dogs in the region are named after the footballer, as noted by the Independent.
It comes days after Celtic midfielder Beram Kayal has named his son ‘Pirlo’ and followed it up with a brilliant set of hashtags to explain the decision.
“Today I have been graced with the birth of my first child Pirlo Kayal. My wife Angela and Pirlo are both doing well. It’s been an emotional day, especially for my parents who have come to see the birth of their first grandchild.
“I would like to thank everyone for all their support and messages. I also thank god for everything he has blessed me with and today he has blessed me with a son
