United States President Barack Obama says his daughters would love to meet Lionel Messi

United States President Barack Obama says his daughters would love to meet Lionel Messi

The American president tells the media of his daughters' wish while on an official visit in Argentina

The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, on an official visit to Argentina, revealed a special request forwarded by his teenage daughters.

Specifically, Mr. Obama spoke of their wish to personally meet Lionel Messi, the global football star and member of Futbol Club Barcelona and the Argentina national team.

Mr. Obama, in Argentina following his historic visit to Cuba, publicly unveiled the hopes of his daughters Malia and Sasha, who are fans of Messi.

Nevertheless, the introduction will have to wait, as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is currently in Chile, where Argentina are getting ready to face their South American neighbors in a qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup.

"My daughters met Pope Francis," Mr. Obama said. "And now they want to meet Messi, but I still haven't been able to set it up."

Mr. Obama is a self-proclaimed 'soccer dad,' while Malia and Sasha have played soccer and are fond of the sport.

Speaking to a group of young Argentine entrepreneurs, Mr. Obama also had praise for Manu Ginobili, another well-known Argentinian athlete. Ginobili plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA. Basketball is one of Mr. Obama's biggest passions.

Another reference to Messi in 2011

This is not the first time Mr. Obama has made a public statement about Messi. Back In 2011, he compared himself to the FC Barcelona striker during an official White House reception for the Major League Soccer (MLS) champions, the Colorado Rapids.

It was then that Jeff Plush, the director of the Rapids, flattered the so-called leader of the free world by giving him his own Rapids jersey inscribed with 'Obama' and the number 10.

Plush said, "As you know, the number 10 is the leader." Mr. Obama then elicited a chuckle from the crowd when he replied: "So, me and Messi, we're right up there."

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