One side of a dormitory for medical students in downtown Tirana has been covered by a mural of Lionel Messi.

Argentine painter Maximiliano Bagnasco is taking part in the Tirana MuralFest 2023 and decided to go with the soccer great, his idol.

The 25x10-meter mural of a bearded and smiling Messi, wearing Argentina’s white-and-blue national team jersey with the No. 10, will cover part of a building at a crossroad near the capital city’s main hospitals.

“It is a source of pride for me … that my work has become known for painting them, our idols,” the 41-year-old Bagnasco told The Associated Press.

Bagnasco has also painted a mural of Diego Maradona in Naples, as well as in Miami and other places. Maradona also won a World Cup with Argentina wearing the No. 10 shirt. He then led Napoli to its first two Italian league titles in 1987 and 1990 before the team won a third this season.

[By APNEWS.com]