AC Milan midfielder, Tijjani Reijnders, has shared the reason behind naming his dog after Argentina football legend, Lionel Messi.
The 26-year-old Dutchman, who joined AC Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 for a reported €20 million, revealed that Messi has always been his idol. Reijnders explained that he made the decision to name his dog Messi due to his admiration for the legendary player.
“My dog’s name is Messi, when I was young I always said if I got a dog I would name him Messi, because for me [he] is the best player in the world,” Reijnders said in an interview with All About Argentina. “
Then we decided we would get a dog, and the first thing I said to my wife is if we got a dog we would name him Messi.”
Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami in the US after an illustrious career at Barcelona, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times and is the highest goalscorer in the history of European football, with 704 goals and 303 assists in 853 games. Additionally, he has scored 112 goals and assisted 58 in 191 matches in the US.
Reijnders’ dog is a Pomsky, a crossbreed between a Pomeranian and a Husky, as he had previously revealed in an interview with Sempremilan. The midfielder’s deep admiration for Messi has now extended to his furry companion, making the dog’s name a tribute to the football icon.
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